tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74267084694698208492024-03-26T00:28:26.134-07:00Nine DavidsRaising David James the 9th. Yep, the 9th.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-16731174191615756672011-04-22T06:49:00.000-07:002011-04-22T06:51:48.846-07:00Parent and GuardianI remember reading a permission slip on my walk home from school. It was for a field trip, and at the bottom, it said "<u><i>Signature of Parent or Guardian</i></u>." I knew what parent meant, obviously, and I contemplated the word <i>Guardian </i>with a mind filled with Narnia and Middle Earth.<br />
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My brain came up with something like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.picturesofknights.net/guardian-of-the-grail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.picturesofknights.net/guardian-of-the-grail.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><br />
And I thought, that kid with a Guardian is so lucky!<br />
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I promptly told my mom that I wanted a Guardian. She explained what the word actually meant, that some children don't have parents and a guardian is someone who takes care of them if their parents can't. I decided I didn't want a guardian after all.<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i>guard·i·an</i></span><br />
<div style="font-size: small;"><i>noun</i> /ˈgärdēən/ <span class="speaker-icon-listen-off" id="dictionary_speaker_icon_1" onclick="google.x(this,function(){google.dictionary.loadFlashOnClick(event,'guardian.mp3')});return
false"></span><br />
<span style="color: #767676;">guardians, plural</span></div><ol><div>
<li style="list-style: decimal outside none;">A defender, protector, or keeper<div class="std" style="padding-left: 20px;"><ul><li style="color: #767676; list-style: none outside none;"></li>
</ul></div></li>
<li style="list-style: decimal outside none;">A person who looks after and is legally responsible for someone who is unable to manage their own affairs, esp. an incompetent or disabled person or a child whose parents have died<div class="std" style="padding-left: 20px;"><br />
</div></li>
<li style="list-style: decimal outside none;">The superior of a Franciscan convent</li>
</div></ol><br />
Now, as a parent, I'll get to sign that "parent or guardian" line. I'm going to cross out the "or" and replace it with "and."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.deviantart.com/download/130794915/The_Argonath_by_Albatroz_zzz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://www.deviantart.com/download/130794915/The_Argonath_by_Albatroz_zzz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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A guardian is a defender, protector and keeper. Not owner, not king. A guardian holds the gate, standing between their charge and the evils of the world. "<i>You shall not pass</i>", he cries to the beast of flame, not while he can stop you. His mere presence implies that what he guards is valuable and precious, worthy of protection. His sword is never directed toward his charge, but outward.<br />
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I am my son's parent <b>and </b>guardian. I am not his owner or his master. It is my solemn duty to protect him from harm, no matter the cost. He is precious and fragile, and the world is not always kind or safe. I may not have a sword (well, ok, Dave has a cool Claymore for Highland festivals...) but I would still give my life to keep him safe. It's not my job to "make him into a man" - that will happen on its own. I am powerful, but I do not need to wield power against him. I won't even let the little dragons in (well, maybe the nice dragons).<br />
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Are you also your child's guardian? What does that mean to you?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-22013536183710904002011-04-20T08:27:00.000-07:002011-04-21T06:25:28.307-07:00And some are very, very bad.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish... </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"Who is the bad fish in this picture?" </i></span></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMD8ATepTNwvhxKD1hXOr7loQL2LDzFwF3FWzMxa9FhDfBMGy3Tib1mgtkAsWvROtLdmDLipfug9HcXygLs6lzB2sGN68gPaOGQ4gVK_FoeHB3qNA-xhs7KjPJxgOJikvH8d8a5bI8G1I/s400/VeryVeryBad.bmp" width="400" /></div><br />
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...I asked my husband, with a pit in my stomach, as I read to our 13-month old son.<br />
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He raised an eyebrow and said, "Uh, the red one, obviously."<br />
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I always thought it was the yellow one.<br />
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My whole childhood, in the thousands of times I've read Dr. Suess's wonderful book "One Fish Two Fish", I thought the bad fish on this page were the little yellow and blue fish. The red fish, in my child's eyes, was their father. The yellow fish was in trouble and had been "very very bad." The little blue fish was smug because he'd gotten away with it and his sibling was taking the blame. The red father fish was spanking the little yellow fish.<br />
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<b>I saw this page last night through adult eyes and decided, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that our home will never be a spanking home.</b><br />
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I was not raised in an abusive house, by any definition. My parents are wonderful, kind, and supportive people who I am honored to have in my life. As I have said before, they made the best decisions they could with the information they had, and always did what they believed to be right. So, in keeping with the times, our home was a spanking home. We weren't spanked for minor infractions; it was rare and reserved for only the worst offenses - things that could cause us real harm, like playing with fire or messing with dangerous tools, running away from our parents in an amusement park, darting out into traffic. Offenses that, by conventional logic, were "deserving" of a spanking. We were only spanked if we were "very, very bad." <br />
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Spankings were never doled out in anger; they were measured, explained, and followed up by a hug. Once the spanking was over, it was over and the world continued to turn. My parents never left marks or bruises, and, presumably, the harm of the spank was less than the potential harm of the offense. A spank certainly hurt less than an abduction or 3rd degree burn could have.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/front-page/files/2011/02/spanking2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/front-page/files/2011/02/spanking2.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><br />
Spanking has an interesting history in the United States, but not as far back as you'd think. While there are ancient historical examples of young adults being physically punished by their parents, the concept of disciplining small children "by the rod" is a relatively recent phenomenon. Ancient Jewish law in particular is very clear in its opposition to causing harm to children. The New Testament is <a href="http://parentingfreedom.com/discipline/">even more definitive</a>. Throughout history, spanking has been reserved for adults only, as a method for removing sin and allowing penance.<br />
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Spanking as a form of discipline for little ones seems to have come into fashion during the Victorian era (1837-1901), first in Europe and spreading to the USA, along with the notion that children should seen and not heard. It began first with spanking young men and women to punish for sexual deviance (aka, masturbation), and slowly moved backward in age. Spanking on the rear end was preferred because it could not accidentally cause harm to the internal organs, and on the naked bum because it would help the child associate pain with sexuality (sound familiar, intactivists?).<br />
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Books were published about the right way to spank, and the oft-used and always misinterpreted bible verse "Spare the rod and spoil the child" was used to support spanking small children for any offense. This verse has many, many different translations depending on the version of the Bible. While revisiting the earliest versions, the word discipline is a more accurate translation, and the rod is more like "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me" than "thy rod beats me when I mess up."<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4uROUkRNZ584qSl1ys8UzvZOmodQpcLGXoj5JqV6026TnAviYHH8TURmcfsEKErvdu9UHX2MluQXLobskGIorHlaL9Jv4h9O1Xv5pgf8GoFVwQI6cEqJtkWFXw7eQpfQyCt6iCjFz88/s400/Jesus+good+shepherd9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4uROUkRNZ584qSl1ys8UzvZOmodQpcLGXoj5JqV6026TnAviYHH8TURmcfsEKErvdu9UHX2MluQXLobskGIorHlaL9Jv4h9O1Xv5pgf8GoFVwQI6cEqJtkWFXw7eQpfQyCt6iCjFz88/s320/Jesus+good+shepherd9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice that He is not swinging the rod at the wayward sheep....<br />
The rod is hooked so the Shepherd can gently pull his flock into safety. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Spanking is seeing a gradual decline in popularity, but a majority of Americans still believe it is an appropriate and effective form of discipline. In a 2000 poll, 61% of parents believed that regular spanking is acceptable, even beneficial to children. An astonishing 37% believed that spanking a child younger than 2 is acceptable. Not surprisingly, 56% thought that a 6-month old baby can be "spoiled" by too much attention. More than 90% of parents report that they have spanked their children.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBDSdgQwnt8E526CSaVrBPTmh8MXI570M7T8R6RQ5spZMNkSYZljWHHSYcoUHy_UCM8473tw5jZf791dGv4IynBw-pnjrjEcSAnB_M-jnxnH5getFFNHEOO5be8mjFY9bHJQ2IcNtUMI/s1600/%2525+of+Parents.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBDSdgQwnt8E526CSaVrBPTmh8MXI570M7T8R6RQ5spZMNkSYZljWHHSYcoUHy_UCM8473tw5jZf791dGv4IynBw-pnjrjEcSAnB_M-jnxnH5getFFNHEOO5be8mjFY9bHJQ2IcNtUMI/s400/%2525+of+Parents.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Frankly, these parents either haven't kept up with research or are ignoring it. The <a href="http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;101/4/723">American Academy of Pediatrics</a> not only states that spanking can cause damage, they further illustrate that it doesn't work, long-term. They are especially vocal about spanking children under 18 months of age, citing an increased of physical injury. Children who are spanked occasionally as small children need to be spanked more and more often to "behave" as they age, and parents are left with very few disciplinary options with teens, <br />
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Another recent study by <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2009-2678v1">Pediatrics </a>reported that children spanked at a young age were much more likely to be aggressive in the years following: ""The odds of a child being more aggressive at age 5 increased by 50% if he had been spanked more than twice in the month before the study began." <br />
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<a href="http://www.phoenixchildrens.com/PDFs/principles_and_practices-of_effective_discipline.pdf">Additional research</a> has shown that children who are spanked are more likely to have social and emotional problems, are more likely to commit violent crimes, and are more likely to be involved in abusive relationships as adults.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkU6djJ66NjYeQ1SYg5s6xJOQyEOvtKt9XCKOwi3qzXqc1qL6ItLzfx0rXEEbbWoUopC-jWZAm4krj-tbLq4Q13MK48r9rWVoMbydZkMj2q-lrQiwqzZjmmBzu_zhz85cyHZsujBxe5Y/s1600/%2525+of+Children.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkU6djJ66NjYeQ1SYg5s6xJOQyEOvtKt9XCKOwi3qzXqc1qL6ItLzfx0rXEEbbWoUopC-jWZAm4krj-tbLq4Q13MK48r9rWVoMbydZkMj2q-lrQiwqzZjmmBzu_zhz85cyHZsujBxe5Y/s400/%2525+of+Children.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For an in-depth review of corporal punishment studies, click <a href="http://www.phoenixchildrens.com/PDFs/principles_and_practices-of_effective_discipline.pdf">here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Spanking emotionally harms the child and the parent, and can damage an otherwise trusting relationship. Children who are spanked are less likely to confide their troubles to a parent, for fear of reprisal. Instead, spanked children learn to be better liars to avoid consequence. They learn to <i>avoid being caught</i>, not to make good choices.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkU6djJ66NjYeQ1SYg5s6xJOQyEOvtKt9XCKOwi3qzXqc1qL6ItLzfx0rXEEbbWoUopC-jWZAm4krj-tbLq4Q13MK48r9rWVoMbydZkMj2q-lrQiwqzZjmmBzu_zhz85cyHZsujBxe5Y/s1600/%2525+of+Children.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.positiveparenting.com/resources/feature_article_002.html">9 Alternatives to Spanking</a><br />
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So, here is my question for you.... <b>which fish is the bad fish</b>? Which fish will you be? <br />
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More importantly, when your child reads the book, which fish will they think is "very, very bad"?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFhnfl5RZlgvO-ZGjbjvNG4XN5Shi1TJxcvIrtgFJ-tFhZDuqjIhxke3tNjeG9jzmcBVCduribnEzlMx1l8AH1r83i_0bNM6tKfFrCgMWP9389CHZQCjdpdJ29AFC291yTkR4IXwxnQl_/s400/PM_810650One-Fish-Two-Fish-Posters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFhnfl5RZlgvO-ZGjbjvNG4XN5Shi1TJxcvIrtgFJ-tFhZDuqjIhxke3tNjeG9jzmcBVCduribnEzlMx1l8AH1r83i_0bNM6tKfFrCgMWP9389CHZQCjdpdJ29AFC291yTkR4IXwxnQl_/s320/PM_810650One-Fish-Two-Fish-Posters.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>For more information about preventing child abuse, visit <a href="http://www.preventchildabuse.org/">www.preventchildabuse.org</a>.<br />
To learn more about positive (non-hitting) discipline techniques, <a href="http://www.attachmentparenting.org/principles/disc.php">click here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-61670961897777256092011-03-15T14:53:00.000-07:002011-03-15T16:20:53.976-07:00"Essential" baby stuff that might not be!Despite recent media reports, kids don't actually have to be very expensive at all.<br />
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This particular article isn't advice - truth be told, we have a ton of baby stuff, most of the baby stuff on this list. What can I say, I like to shop! However, I've discovered that a lot of the stuff we bought, we didn't use...and some families don't use any of it. Basic things, that "everyone" told you was necessary to have before you have a baby - well, turns out, you might not need it after all. If you *want* it, or it makes you and your baby happy, awesome. Enjoy! You're not a bad parent if you have and adore any of these items. Just don't feel like you <i><b>have </b></i>to rip out the credit cards and go bankrupt to prepare for your little bundle of joy. <br />
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<u><b>Stuff you can skip (if you want to) </b></u><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.thepepperkids.com/Products/bedding/na/gypsybaby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.thepepperkids.com/Products/bedding/na/gypsybaby.jpg" width="200" /></b></a></div><b>#1 The Crib </b><br />
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Yep, that's right. You can skip the crib. Your kid probably won't want to sleep in it anyway. Most babies would rather be curled up in your arms or on your chest. Cribs are expensive! You can skip the crib, mattress, mattress protector, sheets, mobile, crib toys, sound machine that attaches to the crib, bumpers (they're bad anyway), mesh fluffy stuff that goes over the crib - all of it. $500+ saved! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://yourdaddid.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/jogging-stroller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://yourdaddid.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/jogging-stroller.jpg" width="173" /></a></div><br />
<b>#2 Stroller</b> <br />
I dig my umbrella stroller, but use it mostly to carry groceries. We bought one of those ginormous mega-strollers, and it's hanging in my mom's basement. Just like the crib, my baby vastly prefers to be carried (and you can <a href="http://wearyourbaby.com/Default.aspx?tabid=121">make your own baby carrier for about $5</a>). There's no law that says you have to have a stroller. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kidsbabydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/bpa-free-baby-bottles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://www.kidsbabydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/bpa-free-baby-bottles.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>#3 Bottles</b><br />
Well, if you're me, you might need these. If you work and pump, you're going to need them. BUT, Boobs are cool and require no sterilization. Even if baby isn't drinking directly from the tap, <a href="http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/alternative-feeding.html">they can actually drink out of a cup</a>. Yep, a cup.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://diapywipey.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/disposable-diapers1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://diapywipey.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/disposable-diapers1.jpg" width="197" /></a></div><br />
<b>#4 Diapers</b><br />
This one sort of blew my mind. There's this super-cool movement a-foot called "Elimination Communication". If you pay close enough attention to your little one's cues, you start to find patterns to their pooping and peeing...and you can hold them over the toilet. For realz! There are babies who have never worn a diaper in their lives. Additional plus side... no toilet training! Wipes... you will still need. :)<br />
<a href="http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/">http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/ </a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.thatsfit.com/media/2010/04/baby-food-diet240wy041610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.thatsfit.com/media/2010/04/baby-food-diet240wy041610.jpg" width="203" /></a></div><br />
<b>#5 Baby Food</b><br />
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Again, cool but very basic idea. Babies are people, and they can eat people food. You don't need to give a baby purees. When your little ones starts reaching for the food on your plate, just let him have some. My little guy has a deep appreciation for steamed broccoli, pasta, and blackberries. Bibs strongly recommended.<br />
<a href="http://www.babyledweaning.com/">http://www.babyledweaning.com/ </a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6DrZD-VvpabbE-tehb2oUL2jO5q0JFPOLoABjO1qXTEBTr2wk-_QCV3CSDOA7i3DSmbcRi1SGppp9zJ6Tvb7QGnxz3uOgFcYa_QvRrH_6bfxGQRkrMLwht7JBz6nOM-7cD9T20yQDByP/s320/First+Years%27+Newborn-to-Toddler+Tub+with+Sling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6DrZD-VvpabbE-tehb2oUL2jO5q0JFPOLoABjO1qXTEBTr2wk-_QCV3CSDOA7i3DSmbcRi1SGppp9zJ6Tvb7QGnxz3uOgFcYa_QvRrH_6bfxGQRkrMLwht7JBz6nOM-7cD9T20yQDByP/s200/First+Years%27+Newborn-to-Toddler+Tub+with+Sling.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>#6 Baby Bath Tub</b><br />
When they're teensy, a sponge and the sink works perfectly. After their umbilical stump falls off, you may discover the wonder of co-bathing. Mommy + Fussy Baby In Tub = Happiness. You figure out how to handle a slippery baby very quickly. Wrapsody sells a <a href="http://www.wrapsodybaby.com/shop/proddetail.php?prod=water">water wrap</a> that works for co-showering too, plus instructions. Another note... you totally don't need the adorable baby hoodie towels; regular towels work just fine. I have to say though...nothing's cuter than a baby in a hoodie towel.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/droolicious/2009/01/swing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/droolicious/2009/01/swing.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<b>#7 Swing, Bouncer, Vibrating Chair etc.</b><br />
Now, I'm not going to say these aren't nice to have. For some babies and parents, they might be a necessity. BUT, from my observation, kids only like one of them and dislike the others. You should go for some trial-and-error here. Some kids don't like any of them. None of them are "must have or CPS will be called."<br />
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<u><b>Stuff you might consider spending real money on:</b></u><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://24-7babyproducts.com/images/Radian-XT-SL-Car-Seat-with-Travel-Bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://24-7babyproducts.com/images/Radian-XT-SL-Car-Seat-with-Travel-Bag.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>#1 A high-end convertible carseat.</b><br />
Infant "bucket" seats have the bonus of keeping a sleeping baby asleep, but they will be outgrown quickly. A convertible carseat can serve you from the first car ride through kindergarten. Get one that rear-faces to the highest possible weight (Radian sells one that rear-faces to 45 pounds). If you spend the money now on a good one, you won't have to replace it later.<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8gU9zzCGA8">Why you should rear-face as long as possible</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/platform-bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/platform-bed.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>#2 A King-Sized Bed</b><br />
No, you don't "need" this, especially if you're a single parent or a set of smaller parents. BUT, if you or your significant other are a substantial person (in my case, both), this will improve your life. You can get a cheap one from Ikea for less than you could spend on the crib. AND, you'll be using it long after your child has graduated to their own bed. For extra <a href="http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/advice/0071398856.php?nid=367">safety</a>, consider a bed that is low to the floor, or even on it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7bA-AbKlOow/Sgxu5pLJlQI/AAAAAAAAAtA/rJRKKM-jPX8/s400/ergo+sport2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7bA-AbKlOow/Sgxu5pLJlQI/AAAAAAAAAtA/rJRKKM-jPX8/s200/ergo+sport2.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />
<b>#3 A nice baby carrier</b><br />
Yes, you can make a stretchy wrap for $5. I recommend doing so! But for long-term use, a nice soft-structured carrier (<a href="http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/">Ergo Sport</a> is my fav), a beautiful woven wrap (<a href="http://www.pinkletinkbaby.com/GirasolPage.php">Girasol </a>= Love), or a Mei Tai (ala <a href="http://www.babyhawk.com/">Babyhawk</a>)...or all three....will be worth it for you. Especially if you skipped the stroller and the swing! Like the carseat, a nice baby carrier will last you well into toddlerhood.<br />
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To learn more about baby wearing options, check out <a href="http://www.thebabywearer.com/">www.thebabywearer.com</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGhZ1IoZx_TLNjL9LCL39B6GJjLjaZUEimyK_s3CX5kk7JGZdCyZObKtPlwo8e2gq4agdsw9gG6Q44-UWLpuQrF-axqWhyphenhyphenaVRxgwSa2jlFlXRGAIXmIG7BOlEsSKSwoIwYFX5HJpSBZsJ/s320/boppy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGhZ1IoZx_TLNjL9LCL39B6GJjLjaZUEimyK_s3CX5kk7JGZdCyZObKtPlwo8e2gq4agdsw9gG6Q44-UWLpuQrF-axqWhyphenhyphenaVRxgwSa2jlFlXRGAIXmIG7BOlEsSKSwoIwYFX5HJpSBZsJ/s200/boppy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b> #4 A nursing pillow</b><br />
This isn't a huge investment, but it's worth every penny. A nursing pillow prevents stiff necks and arms that fall asleep while baby is at the boob. You can use it as a floor pillow later on (for those moments when you definitely do need to put the baby down!), for "tummy time", or even for a nice neck pillow while pregnant. I love my Boppy and have used it often, despite having to stop breastfeeding.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mybobs.com/productimages/414/632/LivingRooms/Recliners/Wallsaver/572939_WallsaverRecliner1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="130" src="http://www.mybobs.com/productimages/414/632/LivingRooms/Recliners/Wallsaver/572939_WallsaverRecliner1.jpg" width="200" /></b></a></div><b>#5 A rocker-recliner</b><br />
If you have a gorgeous wooden rocking chair from your grandmother in the baby's room, stick with it. If you were debating on purchasing one of those expensive gliders from Babies R Us, consider this. Get a rocker-recliner, ala La-Z-Boy. <a href="http://www.mybobs.com/recliners.aspx">Bob's</a> has them for $299, or drop by your local Salvation Army. Comfy factor cannot be beat. You are going to spend a lot of time in this chair - and no fingers will be pinched! . Move it into the "man room" when baby's grown, or they can take it to college.<br />
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That's what I can think of for now... I'll add on more to either list if more come to mind - or if YOU add them in the comments! Do you agree/disagree? Are there more items that need to be in the "must-have" department?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-20559162209698719792011-03-05T14:01:00.000-08:002011-03-05T14:09:38.823-08:00Human Milk for Human Babies<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="color: green;"><b><i>"Breast milk is not a scarce commodity, it's a free-flowing resource."<br />
Emma Kwasnica</i></b></span></i></b></span> </div><br />
I've recently become involved with an amazing group, Human Milk for Human Babies, formerly known as Eats on Feets Global. This is one of the most amazing movements, and I am incredibly honored to be a part of it.<br />
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There are mommies like me who can't breastfeed their babies, or mommies who breastfeed but don't make enough milk. When I was hospitalized, my breastfed baby needed food. Formula is food, but not the food I would have chosen for him - breast milk is a superior food, made for baby humans. Cow's milk is made for baby cows, and doesn't offer the same benefits, especially in a baby's GI track - which is of particular concern to me, since IBD can be hereditary. I reached out to my local milk bank - but I found out that not only is the milk $4 per ounce ($120 a day!!), we couldn't have it, even if we wanted it. My baby was healthy and full-term. So, David got formula - and I'm glad it was there. It was not an easy transition - his tummy was upset, and he really hated the taste. But, food is food, and he eventually adjusted. He's done well on formula - he's healthy, strong, and smart. As my readers know, I don't have anything against people who choose formula as their baby's food.<br />
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If I'd had a choice at the time, though, I wouldn't have chosen to feed my son formula.<br />
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I learned about Eats on Feets through you, the readers of this blog. I became friends with Emma Kwasnica, the group's founder on Facebook, and I was blown away by her passion and dedication. At one point, she posted an amazing photo - a friend of hers was suddenly hospitalized, and she nursed her friend's baby while she was incapacitated. The picture brought me to tears. One image encapsulated the philosophy of milk sharing - that in an emergency, women could rely on each other.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8hogNvh9IghKsH3l6HOBb-AbgAKccrGgUC85AhlJeXe-frSBX3bW53ys_yeeX38_lJ_b3oYOlJrfRB5f1BMQxyJ-qHgmKEqJrpHhxxya8R9co30karDo1pe18_zc5d7y65uDJWWZgQw/s1600/IMG_0700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8hogNvh9IghKsH3l6HOBb-AbgAKccrGgUC85AhlJeXe-frSBX3bW53ys_yeeX38_lJ_b3oYOlJrfRB5f1BMQxyJ-qHgmKEqJrpHhxxya8R9co30karDo1pe18_zc5d7y65uDJWWZgQw/s320/IMG_0700.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma nursing a hospitalized friend's baby. Don't like to see boobs? <a href="http://9davids.blogspot.com/2010/11/nurse-ins-are-for-everyone.html">Read this.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
This is the heart of milk sharing and milk donation - that in an emergency situation, mothers who want their babies to be exclusively breastfed have that option, even if real life circumstances don't allow for it. If a mother wants to use formula, fine by me - but if she doesn't, there should be a way for her to find an Emma!<br />
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Eats on Feets has become "Human Milk for Human Babies", a name that better describes its mission and can be translated across the globe (there's even a chapter in Kuwait!). Mothers like me can meet local mothers like Emma, who have a surplus of milk to provide. Not necessarily boob-to-mouth; most donation happens with the help of a pump and a freezer. Some mamas overproduce, and they have mountains of bags of milk stored, more than their baby can consume before it expires. Thanks to HM4HB and other milk-sharing connections, that milk can find its way to a local baby in need.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i415/HM4HB/HM4HBlogo350p.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i415/HM4HB/HM4HBlogo350p.png" width="310" /></a></div><br />
One of the coolest things about this is that HM4HB is not just getting babies milk, it's helping women connect and become friends. While you can use milk sharing networks to just get milk and move on, I'm amazed at the real life connections that are happening. Donor and recipient mommies are getting to know each other, having coffee, setting up playdates, visiting each other's homes. There is a community growing as a result of the sharing. Unlike donating to a milk bank, donor mommies can often hold the babies their milk is feeding, watch them grow and thrive on the precious gift of liquid gold. In a world where technology so often distances, this is creating a village where none existed.<br />
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Are there risks to milk sharing? Yes, of course. There are risks to everything in life. There are risks to formula-feeding (I fed my kid bugs, thank you Similac). HM4HB isn't promising a risk-free solution, just a forum in which parents can have a choice - an informed choice. Previously, the only choice moms like me could make was which brand of formula to buy. Now, we can choose if we want to go check things out on the donation road.<br />
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As a recipient, ultimately, you trust that the woman who is donating is healthy and living a healthy life. If she's breastfeeding her own child, you simply trust that she cares about her own baby enough to avoid things that could make her milk dangerous. You can pasteurize the milk at home (<a href="http://www.qaproject.org/strat/Tanzania%20job%20aids/pdfs/english/engheattreatinsert4web.pdf">instructions here</a>), and many recipients ask for copies of their donor's prenatal medical records or request additional screening for safety.<br />
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Check it out! If you have milk to donate, wouldn't it be nice to know exactly where that milk is going? If you really hate feeding your baby formula, why not explore donated breast milk as an option? <br />
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<a href="http://www.hm4hb.net/index.html">Human Milk for Human Babies - Website</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/HM4HBUK?sk=app_137976222934192">Find your local chapter here</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/HM4HBUK?sk=app_171345976246580">Frequently Asked Questions</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-30818591516540273292011-02-18T13:33:00.000-08:002011-02-18T14:05:13.009-08:00Now I Lay Me Down To SleepTomorrow, we're going to be having David's 1 year photos taken with our awesome photographer, who is doing some special sessions to benefit an organization that is near and dear to my heart. There are a lot of wonderful causes to support in this world, and limited time, money and attention to give to everything that needs it. I have a few charitable organizations that I support and care deeply about, but none that touch my heart quite like this one.<br />
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Not all babies get to celebrate their first birthday. For parents who lose their precious angels too soon, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep helps to support them in their darkest moments.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/images/resources/NILMDTSLandingLogo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/images/resources/NILMDTSLandingLogo.gif" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Imagine a photo shoot where each moment is a last moment, where there will be no second takes, where what you're doing means everything."</i><br />
<i><a href="http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/">http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org</a> </i></div><br />
I pray you never need them; in my perfect world, nobody would ever need them. I also want to ensure that everyone who does need them, knows that they exist, and understands the importance of the precious gift they can give to a family in the most desperate time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/images/MissionStatement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/images/MissionStatement.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep photographs babies who left this world too soon. Volunteer photographers go to grieving families, to document their beautiful children with magnificent, professional images, free of charge. The families have these photos for a lifetime, forever captured - a tiny hand or foot, the shape of their baby's eyes, things that time can erase from memory, even though the pain never fades.<br />
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Here's a video about NILMDTS (please have your tissues ready):<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="300" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MlKhrCORF8w&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MlKhrCORF8w&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object></div><br />
How you can help:<br />
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<b>Donate Your Time/Services</b><br />
If you are a professional photographer, you can <a href="http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/photographers/">volunteer your time</a>. There is a screening and application process to ensure that families receive the highest-quality images from experienced photographers. There are a number of <a href="http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/training_registration/">upcoming training sessions</a> for photographers.<br />
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If you are a musician and you own the rights to a song that might fit a slide show, you can <a href="http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/music/">provide the rights </a>to that song.<br />
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People with services or products that support photography (including those who may be able to edit images) may also donate their time to NILMDTS.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nowisleep.com/Angels/forum3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.nowisleep.com/Angels/forum3.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Spread the word</b><br />
If you work as a doula, midwife, nurse, prenatal teacher, LC, or some other health-related field, just make sure that you spread the word. Make sure that local hospitals know about NILMDTS.<br />
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If you know someone who is experiencing the loss of a child, tell them about NILMDTS. This is something you can do - it's so hard to know what to do, what to say. Offer to contact this organization for them.<br />
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To make a donation to Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, <a href="http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/donate/">click here</a>.<br />
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Thank you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-88918245765669146722011-02-14T08:15:00.000-08:002011-02-14T08:15:07.457-08:00Babywearing through the agesDavid and I went to the local Farmer's Market on Saturday, and as usual he was sitting pretty in the BabyHawk on my back. If you ever want to see babywearing in action, go to a farmer's market - I counted over a dozen other worn babies. <br />
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A random woman in line commented "Those things are all the rage". An old (80+) lady with a strong accent replied, "Eeet was da rage when I lived in Moscow too!" She went on to tell me about how she always wore her babies, and how it helped to keep them warm during the long Russian winters.<br />
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Babywearing's not trendy, it's normal. It's practical. It's beautiful! Below is a collection of beautiful babywearing pictures from around the world and through the ages, from a friend's presentation to her high school Spanish class. Enjoy!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1E8pT_gPLMARUczExCZWGvzXGVAUf_JYO0mQ9jQNLV2lS7Sj1DEFOE2PEEaFaND-NwLThAXAzrrEMEcUqbpiDY7iA49i1OA_jElL7XlyuYE7vG0yPzh2b-kLt9YH5V99csSSYqSBSAI/s1600/2cqm9o3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1E8pT_gPLMARUczExCZWGvzXGVAUf_JYO0mQ9jQNLV2lS7Sj1DEFOE2PEEaFaND-NwLThAXAzrrEMEcUqbpiDY7iA49i1OA_jElL7XlyuYE7vG0yPzh2b-kLt9YH5V99csSSYqSBSAI/s1600/2cqm9o3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure where, but nice Mei Tai!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MnrfpL6QlEfdoFdMtdKuqMsCWcxM_l8ARWcsjbgsSDMjturl0dKr7rLDuf6ProYyMmZMqNSIeaq7kNDvM1idGiwVaSiO3N_rH-r1XqKZQykSciwP1-e99blf0izele2CpV1QSAXrsUo/s1600/2jesly9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MnrfpL6QlEfdoFdMtdKuqMsCWcxM_l8ARWcsjbgsSDMjturl0dKr7rLDuf6ProYyMmZMqNSIeaq7kNDvM1idGiwVaSiO3N_rH-r1XqKZQykSciwP1-e99blf0izele2CpV1QSAXrsUo/s1600/2jesly9.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Africa</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXKGH6wQZgUN8QqCp4y0oUXgJuAa3C6Z0biz0tkhD2m_3ROhWGUN9QBCBF_24d8DXbYTRLK0k4PCfGU9KqFHjc8eE7SZ5EaHn00bPTTlZmudhvaZBwVimBqezxjNOdCjc3RkySygE1kE/s1600/ancient+egypt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXKGH6wQZgUN8QqCp4y0oUXgJuAa3C6Z0biz0tkhD2m_3ROhWGUN9QBCBF_24d8DXbYTRLK0k4PCfGU9KqFHjc8eE7SZ5EaHn00bPTTlZmudhvaZBwVimBqezxjNOdCjc3RkySygE1kE/s1600/ancient+egypt.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient Egypt</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBnDnETIbmGFnv5xStXUxWtu-4RTXi_YC0PJZL0aNbKLwKHd8-SwhZyB0X5Hmmqssg3FPMVamcD3bwsmX-VJN4Bm_5Q3QKIf9gXUxxTjzMvBzUtycuYgDcgtLw5a-uQESwaF7BsDtP9c/s1600/bolivia2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBnDnETIbmGFnv5xStXUxWtu-4RTXi_YC0PJZL0aNbKLwKHd8-SwhZyB0X5Hmmqssg3FPMVamcD3bwsmX-VJN4Bm_5Q3QKIf9gXUxxTjzMvBzUtycuYgDcgtLw5a-uQESwaF7BsDtP9c/s1600/bolivia2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bolivia</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GSG5bs9O-P5lBkMzT8eZuBChyphenhyphen48JPR2kytgQLtxl4DUxz_GvpbEkbQFHt3mUqNiMOizshZ_5GLT74uZKmuEJl3z7HwBjK290O5uqpJ_up39AUZjJd0-1dZzfvqwqpfaWdAV62UevbJ0/s1600/bolivia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GSG5bs9O-P5lBkMzT8eZuBChyphenhyphen48JPR2kytgQLtxl4DUxz_GvpbEkbQFHt3mUqNiMOizshZ_5GLT74uZKmuEJl3z7HwBjK290O5uqpJ_up39AUZjJd0-1dZzfvqwqpfaWdAV62UevbJ0/s1600/bolivia.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bolivia</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gQVKjzENWeeKwtNKCJsIWQwYpKbSO_iqjR8HkS2PqebidX9fgO4-SEnXJPdKNdcBwy7SOs9Os17Mp1ZfwzX8VXpKyKvYo96OJ5ulQVwh1k2O8CA1jGR3YsrjqHIh_Cb4c6RSlbv4QD4/s1600/bosnia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gQVKjzENWeeKwtNKCJsIWQwYpKbSO_iqjR8HkS2PqebidX9fgO4-SEnXJPdKNdcBwy7SOs9Os17Mp1ZfwzX8VXpKyKvYo96OJ5ulQVwh1k2O8CA1jGR3YsrjqHIh_Cb4c6RSlbv4QD4/s1600/bosnia.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bosnia</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB13F5sX_0LqoCfnp5UsKouTYyj91MtTUEWcE0SmyRBaBQwxB6x8Wi3GC9U4KARrSjvS78M5qKHVbEhvyED03s3nNkb9a8vOQpDvhNT3msk_Ayrhwi9VI5QBZnCxAEQTtcQw1rjLXzjoM/s1600/Brazil2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB13F5sX_0LqoCfnp5UsKouTYyj91MtTUEWcE0SmyRBaBQwxB6x8Wi3GC9U4KARrSjvS78M5qKHVbEhvyED03s3nNkb9a8vOQpDvhNT3msk_Ayrhwi9VI5QBZnCxAEQTtcQw1rjLXzjoM/s1600/Brazil2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brazil</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDu_zsjJgWjBFqjgLO7XxGO7JIuZLFY7gIi9vJSfyLtOooYFxt7H-fZLKmMaygUvyb1KZzZXuMGDi4-qSYoFok7rOw0o3LJzgHqLsVBVnCQXRKYd-J3yjaUF9rwjJxde4-tDvaIkloN-I/s1600/brazil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDu_zsjJgWjBFqjgLO7XxGO7JIuZLFY7gIi9vJSfyLtOooYFxt7H-fZLKmMaygUvyb1KZzZXuMGDi4-qSYoFok7rOw0o3LJzgHqLsVBVnCQXRKYd-J3yjaUF9rwjJxde4-tDvaIkloN-I/s1600/brazil.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brazil</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlt_3Teh1wIHkUIotGSjFtM1VnaQhDGz3kx7UpCzJgaTMKxCGTGNZOjlu_LrZ0M0Y66W1GUAvjL8bk7Fhdal7ivaQ6edOXJGpWWwSRjLDWP173c6f8GPoAqRxmosQTYXxUM3C26WGEHd0/s1600/burma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlt_3Teh1wIHkUIotGSjFtM1VnaQhDGz3kx7UpCzJgaTMKxCGTGNZOjlu_LrZ0M0Y66W1GUAvjL8bk7Fhdal7ivaQ6edOXJGpWWwSRjLDWP173c6f8GPoAqRxmosQTYXxUM3C26WGEHd0/s1600/burma.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burma</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNCEggaexNPTDpk7vh2uDRXhxngpuSsvSmUw_ZyJTD2BHu9Sam5FnsZV7LhOE5yMKDaWD9QIedLft-cKWCnVA8909YzRHzPoEP28Si7RUi17Avwvv2CqhjdYNox0xXzfvuL_ospuS4lY/s1600/china.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNCEggaexNPTDpk7vh2uDRXhxngpuSsvSmUw_ZyJTD2BHu9Sam5FnsZV7LhOE5yMKDaWD9QIedLft-cKWCnVA8909YzRHzPoEP28Si7RUi17Avwvv2CqhjdYNox0xXzfvuL_ospuS4lY/s1600/china.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">China</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLw1qEJ89DsPhdOb74UDCxWhxGfvshAsE1JCh-_5AI7S_s4QR2IVbRiZbmjs6nrSHzuz70Pf1pILE8Hwwn6J6xzpUFiGy4EsAxCHVVr-OLS8x4LZEFOEOKL8_cv6equjQVnZZgGCQ6UZM/s1600/Congo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLw1qEJ89DsPhdOb74UDCxWhxGfvshAsE1JCh-_5AI7S_s4QR2IVbRiZbmjs6nrSHzuz70Pf1pILE8Hwwn6J6xzpUFiGy4EsAxCHVVr-OLS8x4LZEFOEOKL8_cv6equjQVnZZgGCQ6UZM/s1600/Congo.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Congo (Way to get some work done, mama!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9Lt-xWP81QxoDf90zLIUhEEupSUbtaFb3o5va-XrHa1nDvnLngzEOUgIle4tSfvQEUdvwChNdTn3oNfnN-Jpva8WLqiUIYWmaYEpN91IeEUeDg8_N7Q1FdQTPNCQbXGywkmk1U7WmTg/s1600/czech1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9Lt-xWP81QxoDf90zLIUhEEupSUbtaFb3o5va-XrHa1nDvnLngzEOUgIle4tSfvQEUdvwChNdTn3oNfnN-Jpva8WLqiUIYWmaYEpN91IeEUeDg8_N7Q1FdQTPNCQbXGywkmk1U7WmTg/s1600/czech1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Czech Republic - love the basket!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ww-8F_K-IA1Dg8I5dcZsZMgxMb3x2FXChSrONtFuX9J-v5rzViweFUUWOvPyGFw_-cL313kYRssB0NnS9OfJ1-m0QYGF_fxWQs2SaEer4E5zyPEel9x0PE2h8WJXdMbwyzPWK49iRNE/s1600/czech2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ww-8F_K-IA1Dg8I5dcZsZMgxMb3x2FXChSrONtFuX9J-v5rzViweFUUWOvPyGFw_-cL313kYRssB0NnS9OfJ1-m0QYGF_fxWQs2SaEer4E5zyPEel9x0PE2h8WJXdMbwyzPWK49iRNE/s1600/czech2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Czech Republic</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0i3hTOpXQxM79c0pmpoXyC1dtt9MC5LlSw0-q4dahozv-1S7DD2Uvs0KGoIi30nfZpFJzERPsz4ka78qE13FpjWInbF46y8buOTq7_YlAbRWSYqI4RgctIeuDbsGS0E2nY2UeNciI_s/s1600/Danish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0i3hTOpXQxM79c0pmpoXyC1dtt9MC5LlSw0-q4dahozv-1S7DD2Uvs0KGoIi30nfZpFJzERPsz4ka78qE13FpjWInbF46y8buOTq7_YlAbRWSYqI4RgctIeuDbsGS0E2nY2UeNciI_s/s1600/Danish.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Netherlands</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3Xh7LuswtRnojcMhHpaV99C9xYPs35KEyL0NVuyDgTkiosZJAD-rvtx2S0H40cD_4Gh-tfAUqy_UvlLawYZ5224Mnkmy8Vigp6DqDAcAN9N5mVRTYCAdwxnrfoEXiLlkcEYlEGKvonM/s1600/egypt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3Xh7LuswtRnojcMhHpaV99C9xYPs35KEyL0NVuyDgTkiosZJAD-rvtx2S0H40cD_4Gh-tfAUqy_UvlLawYZ5224Mnkmy8Vigp6DqDAcAN9N5mVRTYCAdwxnrfoEXiLlkcEYlEGKvonM/s1600/egypt.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egypt</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpe7MAK6D-HeICMFwLsl4FMazQeQ9VbU__WNRbJ9c7E-hqgCuJvg0YWQsoZl4cgWhES4pAPnfspBgCygM7jkWRRp5PZXvDFvTrait_J7MkVNv7IdWVkKObW_fym9l1ImGNtrCuRtM_XNo/s1600/eskimo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpe7MAK6D-HeICMFwLsl4FMazQeQ9VbU__WNRbJ9c7E-hqgCuJvg0YWQsoZl4cgWhES4pAPnfspBgCygM7jkWRRp5PZXvDFvTrait_J7MkVNv7IdWVkKObW_fym9l1ImGNtrCuRtM_XNo/s1600/eskimo.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eskimo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHo_oWi407DYsfCRUjxXlf81gNYK_Sv0O32K0IdCN9R4UDITCKEhlWC58TRoV9TOJI1xTnKlghI9BIPGrnnqCUO_n_LbUb-lm0SO6GdCT96eVvnT8cYclqfEyDolyn4oDa5JvOlU1-kyU/s1600/france.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHo_oWi407DYsfCRUjxXlf81gNYK_Sv0O32K0IdCN9R4UDITCKEhlWC58TRoV9TOJI1xTnKlghI9BIPGrnnqCUO_n_LbUb-lm0SO6GdCT96eVvnT8cYclqfEyDolyn4oDa5JvOlU1-kyU/s1600/france.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">French Daddy on a bike (not recommended lol)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7Ni6zdYa4QPQixVD1u8xdp5CQhGLlCDrm5DLfMD35sCWJllGHVi0E-sg3_KhzQllR1NEyi8qhEPih2kadVYydi4XBQH6gGRoTD_PppRDMvzCDGFOg3e5Li_XF9nI19zu1bFnIshrmiM/s1600/ghana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7Ni6zdYa4QPQixVD1u8xdp5CQhGLlCDrm5DLfMD35sCWJllGHVi0E-sg3_KhzQllR1NEyi8qhEPih2kadVYydi4XBQH6gGRoTD_PppRDMvzCDGFOg3e5Li_XF9nI19zu1bFnIshrmiM/s1600/ghana.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ghana</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMztlmjctVVu8bGtbhcUDkPVG8ogrYmHoa9ld927BISBJwTqakC0sT55rWCi40hFulmlV6Q5BBYgL3RVJPKbyZVQa-BJ71esBWFJ1DSpeHB9ZhoYTzutluuwfd9YLZ7ultVCzVw4RfR20/s1600/guatemala2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMztlmjctVVu8bGtbhcUDkPVG8ogrYmHoa9ld927BISBJwTqakC0sT55rWCi40hFulmlV6Q5BBYgL3RVJPKbyZVQa-BJ71esBWFJ1DSpeHB9ZhoYTzutluuwfd9YLZ7ultVCzVw4RfR20/s1600/guatemala2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guatemala</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lj1bqXdnQV47vJzBHwybF1btgMO3aqgWf9EAvg3OCrZT79idsAXXobwCqdg-oQh-vgEBI7wb9cvip6cxI9xazQrvW64WOqgOSum7FVsqZgg5wQCm-4z3o1F_elaqCzs1zKGta5vKV2A/s1600/guatemala3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lj1bqXdnQV47vJzBHwybF1btgMO3aqgWf9EAvg3OCrZT79idsAXXobwCqdg-oQh-vgEBI7wb9cvip6cxI9xazQrvW64WOqgOSum7FVsqZgg5wQCm-4z3o1F_elaqCzs1zKGta5vKV2A/s1600/guatemala3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guatemala</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxzqGQrjgdiwdngCFEyc95whLYuqgjTAUpduHx62Wypg-gaZD6gx8xlbk4lGNXy2oJFUugdEWKPOAYrYRpU1mSkbVNHmaFiOtOFRxkduoExlDLyU2wvHF2fW7lIDzAp5-VvSLR3vxJcQ/s1600/guatemala.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxzqGQrjgdiwdngCFEyc95whLYuqgjTAUpduHx62Wypg-gaZD6gx8xlbk4lGNXy2oJFUugdEWKPOAYrYRpU1mSkbVNHmaFiOtOFRxkduoExlDLyU2wvHF2fW7lIDzAp5-VvSLR3vxJcQ/s1600/guatemala.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Guatemala! Beautiful pattern</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsqUWXzo4dbfB5M9DhyphenhyphenemV_7X0bP6uvWpIGNtchQ0hI9up96Dmw-X5i_OJ4B2MwfgKIDqNSQ6MIfxlxtvRpvRjOoJ9VjL1ItDesPqRwC5iMLMxiDIBRLKIaNl8bo3rS4sIo3LD60xbV8/s1600/inuit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsqUWXzo4dbfB5M9DhyphenhyphenemV_7X0bP6uvWpIGNtchQ0hI9up96Dmw-X5i_OJ4B2MwfgKIDqNSQ6MIfxlxtvRpvRjOoJ9VjL1ItDesPqRwC5iMLMxiDIBRLKIaNl8bo3rS4sIo3LD60xbV8/s1600/inuit.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inuit - such a beautiful photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuuZtUbcVZnwazCxun6xPR2KxHLRnsXdUsWTCr3_GdPn6nDdXTGKoS2lVpLDzd86d8e0Vufgqv0guTfqeErPfk00fa4xjn7Ug50ic5-co0iBHtPVSGEIgqzBxrRLI_bzCDX3JGTJe8wo/s1600/japan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuuZtUbcVZnwazCxun6xPR2KxHLRnsXdUsWTCr3_GdPn6nDdXTGKoS2lVpLDzd86d8e0Vufgqv0guTfqeErPfk00fa4xjn7Ug50ic5-co0iBHtPVSGEIgqzBxrRLI_bzCDX3JGTJe8wo/s1600/japan.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japan</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVwTiXn3cpC-P0d5-sRuMhmUEHSOJCqhhsG1XT0my2GnFH6cnDPfyuKSfzHY0nKoxRRqMsobDIc0EPaqa5_UUZUD9VGujJRDayJO2a4rvD1k2BLd7MktIcOc7-qb9Mu9Jrv7U1qewvEg/s1600/mary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVwTiXn3cpC-P0d5-sRuMhmUEHSOJCqhhsG1XT0my2GnFH6cnDPfyuKSfzHY0nKoxRRqMsobDIc0EPaqa5_UUZUD9VGujJRDayJO2a4rvD1k2BLd7MktIcOc7-qb9Mu9Jrv7U1qewvEg/s1600/mary.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary and Jesus</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyW73l84nodmgBwAfKo-2FFg6mljd48XSnH7p7Syxq2y0wuQvGepVBLV1G0S4FRGF0dHYDpuUhoRMC5lcFDs2UBkQ4NuLN7XrQCsVFfO5L0U9ybuoWJ-Tcd1OcpnlkXh92nfyXgjwAfs/s1600/medieval.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyW73l84nodmgBwAfKo-2FFg6mljd48XSnH7p7Syxq2y0wuQvGepVBLV1G0S4FRGF0dHYDpuUhoRMC5lcFDs2UBkQ4NuLN7XrQCsVFfO5L0U9ybuoWJ-Tcd1OcpnlkXh92nfyXgjwAfs/s1600/medieval.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark ages? I think not!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHGQF8KCuBQiMqrhrEf2nBQ5QeHE_M80risKQ_rpKfMns2zjmnHL8lHw9CB9ce7ZpE3b6lo9dReVikxamLIcd4izBlNkEqIZOHV8pmy4rhNw16Pn4kUBAwo3G2ckFiTJVpk45_4RJ5to/s1600/mexico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHGQF8KCuBQiMqrhrEf2nBQ5QeHE_M80risKQ_rpKfMns2zjmnHL8lHw9CB9ce7ZpE3b6lo9dReVikxamLIcd4izBlNkEqIZOHV8pmy4rhNw16Pn4kUBAwo3G2ckFiTJVpk45_4RJ5to/s1600/mexico.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mexico, rockin the Rebozo Superman toss!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuYE2jGjFRQh4Le1vPHZWP-tMrIIChkNwPdCgjbZ_6btZnstkplqQFRFhDarzqToCX2Iq17bvUIOvuAuqpvf1A3AwRHEnHYByVOBbKt0pLF1O6Qf0H_WODSFdsB349_0Hd-Wl8oSCZpk/s1600/morocco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuYE2jGjFRQh4Le1vPHZWP-tMrIIChkNwPdCgjbZ_6btZnstkplqQFRFhDarzqToCX2Iq17bvUIOvuAuqpvf1A3AwRHEnHYByVOBbKt0pLF1O6Qf0H_WODSFdsB349_0Hd-Wl8oSCZpk/s1600/morocco.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morocco - babies wearing babies</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHWaRWJ9iGD3ckNQk8Sx1eu2wjYcvjl0cGowBgioXKnvgTmA1DSEv5Ua7wWjAwIzq1KxG2IsZpworogr6AYzAL-VIK6eA7rXHqs7477k6OOGK9tRP_v88lV-ZsCF4J2SLhY16yx3tfDE/s1600/poland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHWaRWJ9iGD3ckNQk8Sx1eu2wjYcvjl0cGowBgioXKnvgTmA1DSEv5Ua7wWjAwIzq1KxG2IsZpworogr6AYzAL-VIK6eA7rXHqs7477k6OOGK9tRP_v88lV-ZsCF4J2SLhY16yx3tfDE/s1600/poland.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poland</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuH_3iO9S3xmBZpyAzezCq1Sc9Ln6PXIg2_WWIVTFf0rvWyw5q4g73FJzo4k9AUaMhenTGLBWzVR-XpTbvPwZNNg4jLBS6_ieza3Cf8QWzBsieqrutTggPpxzlW4LFCocSeb-OQa9tXpA/s1600/roma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuH_3iO9S3xmBZpyAzezCq1Sc9Ln6PXIg2_WWIVTFf0rvWyw5q4g73FJzo4k9AUaMhenTGLBWzVR-XpTbvPwZNNg4jLBS6_ieza3Cf8QWzBsieqrutTggPpxzlW4LFCocSeb-OQa9tXpA/s1600/roma.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roma (Gypsy Mama anyone?)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oM25XBHP_a4XdCzj8svbqRpu-WEyDlXL9KLPXxlRiWWbUwYsI0fxruSp7-d0VePP5l1wrF88r4jJ2fLE1etyaUZYDXBy6M9yHOb7q0F6LtHwaMG55SOl7lkKvhdwEfT9DmOtM4lhkB8/s1600/slovakia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oM25XBHP_a4XdCzj8svbqRpu-WEyDlXL9KLPXxlRiWWbUwYsI0fxruSp7-d0VePP5l1wrF88r4jJ2fLE1etyaUZYDXBy6M9yHOb7q0F6LtHwaMG55SOl7lkKvhdwEfT9DmOtM4lhkB8/s1600/slovakia.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slovakia - what a happy baby.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XHRt5v2JVlfcQOdtqf4olhFvPFiUu-Ig6UZ0d5P4sMytnizQgN0z88fYfKXxxoxKny3vOl__6sEDC2s2z80JCa25Etz99_lr-v25izly4Ndh-lijPkcEA7lctGjZwtqJLwsj4o8Z2Cc/s1600/sourth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XHRt5v2JVlfcQOdtqf4olhFvPFiUu-Ig6UZ0d5P4sMytnizQgN0z88fYfKXxxoxKny3vOl__6sEDC2s2z80JCa25Etz99_lr-v25izly4Ndh-lijPkcEA7lctGjZwtqJLwsj4o8Z2Cc/s1600/sourth.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern USA</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DAdX-00nDR11c2tqJERYln0zfbx0cu-VHu6wfrS03JpT30Me59q0_cLf19VZhJ4qSY86-yn8BFF-8aCqD0pGSmLqiQO6BWI2lyO73TaczCrhds5ivA-aKK2GBf5EzVisolcgWq6hLmk/s1600/texas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DAdX-00nDR11c2tqJERYln0zfbx0cu-VHu6wfrS03JpT30Me59q0_cLf19VZhJ4qSY86-yn8BFF-8aCqD0pGSmLqiQO6BWI2lyO73TaczCrhds5ivA-aKK2GBf5EzVisolcgWq6hLmk/s1600/texas.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modern Day Texas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeyKyRiL7ZduuaMXk9zzjMt4IF0WMsBGrqB-IHfvqinAr3zvh_lRcpcT87uEUV2pUt57HEUx-uMkx9PwmuiNbSpR6USH5HQHmF2SHH-HXpNHgE3-s3lr9pRcH7irz6XRXyCC_DVMM-Gg/s1600/wales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeyKyRiL7ZduuaMXk9zzjMt4IF0WMsBGrqB-IHfvqinAr3zvh_lRcpcT87uEUV2pUt57HEUx-uMkx9PwmuiNbSpR6USH5HQHmF2SHH-HXpNHgE3-s3lr9pRcH7irz6XRXyCC_DVMM-Gg/s1600/wales.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wales</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKP3JMo3ELh9ntT5HWEImmt5MZmJllKOzqDP-CRRjxiMWR8UuPlCfF24qzITwIqDyjZg9EnNYoWM6PUqgN8cuGI1gEwJN8QAGcIMIr9pm51CYa5AAurrVu7HnIN4CUhEgruG27031ybwA/s1600/xpoc36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKP3JMo3ELh9ntT5HWEImmt5MZmJllKOzqDP-CRRjxiMWR8UuPlCfF24qzITwIqDyjZg9EnNYoWM6PUqgN8cuGI1gEwJN8QAGcIMIr9pm51CYa5AAurrVu7HnIN4CUhEgruG27031ybwA/s1600/xpoc36.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Namibia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com111tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-26907838031866213102011-02-13T17:25:00.000-08:002011-02-13T17:36:57.681-08:00Vaccines and DecisionsI have never been so torn on an issue, perhaps in my life, as I am on the subject of vaccines. Right now, I have the luxury of indecision. Because of one of my meds (the immune suppressant), my doctors have decided it's best for my son to be unvaccinated for the time being, and I have the medical seal of approval to postpone the decision of vaccination. My son did get DTaP before I went on these meds, and technically he could have inactivated vaccines, but we're holding off until I'm 100% sure. You can't "un-vaccinate"; once it's done, it's done.<br />
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For those who do not vaccinate, a medical exemption is the holy grail of paperwork. For those who believe in the importance of complete vaccination, my situation is a terrifying limbo of irresponsibility. I see both sides of the issue, and I'm stuck.<br />
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Most parenting issues have become clear to me with research. Breastfeeding, circumcision, spanking, co-sleeping, babywearing. They're pretty clear-cut, and most research sits on one side or the other. Vaccinations... eek. Not so clear. I have done hundreds of hours of research on vaccines, and I'm still incredibly torn.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7lwCgCrwvCA/TTSa5VE244I/AAAAAAAABJ8/oSTM0jqZLfQ/s640/child+getting+vaccine+i+stock+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7lwCgCrwvCA/TTSa5VE244I/AAAAAAAABJ8/oSTM0jqZLfQ/s640/child+getting+vaccine+i+stock+copy.jpg" width="432" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Borrowed from Peaceful Parenting, in case you want to say "<a href="http://9davids.blogspot.com/2011/01/i-was-and-im-fine.html">I'm vaccinated and I'm fine</a>"<br />
Our children are being vaccinated against many more things than we were.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
I have reached 2 conclusions, both of which are controversial. Isn't this whole topic?<br />
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1 - Vaccines are not useless. They do work. Maybe not as well as advertised, but they have value. The rabies vaccine prevents the spread of rabies among dogs. The influenza vaccine does actually reduce the incidence of flu it purports to prevent. Since the widespread vaccination of the American public, the diseases for which we vaccinate have decreased precipitously. I am still immune to measles, mumps and rubella, 25 years after my last booster, diseases I did not have naturally. Vaccines generally do protect against the diseases they claim to, a majority of the time.<br />
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2 - Vaccines are not 100% safe. They have risk. <a href="http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/statistics_report.htm">Vaccine-related injury is real, </a>adverse reactions are real, and to the rare number who experience them, the injury is often worse than the disease the vaccine is intended to prevent. It is possible that vaccines damage the overall health of a person's immune system. Unvaccinated children are, overall, healthier than their vaccinated counterparts, experiencing less chronic and acute illness during childhood and early adulthood (these studies are imperfect in design but still compelling). Parents who consciously choose not to vaccinate are not morons; they are generally better informed and educated about the issue than those who vaccinate. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/.a/6a00d834518cc969e20120a7cebd09970b-320wi" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/.a/6a00d834518cc969e20120a7cebd09970b-320wi" /></a></div><br />
Ethically, I am opposed to the concept of forcing a child to endure pain and sickness, against their will, to prevent potential future harm. The child is not in immediate medical need or danger, like a child who needs stitches. I am opposed to sacrificing one child for the benefit of many; the herd immunity argument doesn't sway me. One child should not die so that millions can live; that argument holds no water to the mother of the dead child, nor should it. I believe in the inherent ability of the natural immune system to handle routine illness, and I believe that a bored immune system is a dangerous thing to have, increasing risks of allergies and auto-immune responses. <br />
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Logically, I am opposed to the reintroduction of measles and polio into the general population, and I do believe that vaccines have something to do with the decrease of diseases (but not all - Polio in particular has a really interesting link to pesticides). I don't want to see a Rubella outbreak. I have heard the cries of a baby with pertussis, and they are heartbreaking. If my son were to experience harm as a result of a vaccine-preventable illness, or worse, <b>were to pass that illness on to another child</b>, I would be devastated.<br />
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Emotionally, vaccinating feels wrong - no mother "looks forward" to a visit for shots. On every other parenting decision, I have trusted my "gut" or "mommy instinct" and it's always been right. Here, <i>in this one circumstance and no other</i>, I am expected to restrain my baby, cause him pain and potentially cause him harm, to avoid the potential of harm. This isn't about fighting a diaper change or being annoyed about being in a carseat; the pain is real, the immediate harm is real (even if it's only a mild fever and a sore leg). If you physically restrain an adult against his will and stab him with a pen or a thumbtack, it is called assault. I spent a lifetime terrified of doctors and needles. Babies today are mandated to have<b> </b>triple the number of vaccines that I had; every child I know is petrified of going to the doctor; their parents have to lie to them and bribe them to get them in the door. <br />
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Intellectually, I realize that people used to die of vaccine-preventable diseases in great number, and that my ancestors would likely think I'm crazy for even debating this topic. Vaccines are considered among the world's greatest medical discoveries, one of the greatest discoveries of human history, by minds greater than mine. My pediatrician is in favor of most (but not all) vaccines; I respect her opinion as a medical professional. I respect her years of experience and expertise. I also know that the entire American pediatric business model revolves around vaccines, and without a visit every 2-6 months for a shot, pediatricians offices would be a lot emptier than they are now. Money talks. Vaccines make literally billions of dollars a year for doctors and pharmaceutical companies, both via direct and indirect sources.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.howtobefantastic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vaccine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://www.howtobefantastic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vaccine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Polio kills. Mumps is bad. Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis, pertussis, HiB, meningitis, all of them - this is bad stuff, and I don't want my baby to get any of them, if I can help it. Hell, my double exposure of chickenpox (at 13 and 32, thanks immune suppressants) was miserable enough that I'd happily have taken a shot in the arm instead of 6 cumulative weeks of misery! Regardless, I am too informed to respond to the "less mercury than a can of tuna" line. <br />
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I am asking for feedback tonight, on what ultimately made your decision, one way or the other. I don't have to make a decision right now (in fact, I can't) but I could use some guidance. <br />
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Why did you decide to vaccinate your child, or choose to skip or alter the standard schedule?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-72267841933671937692011-01-31T08:52:00.000-08:002011-03-05T16:18:31.982-08:00Avoid formula "like the plague"?I don't know why I read everything that comes across my facebook feed, but I have a rather unquenchable thirst for knowledge....so I do. Even stuff that I know is going to "get my goat", and boy did this one! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.jobdescriptionmommy.com/job-description-mommy/2010/12/100-reasons-to-avoid-infant-formula-like-the-plague.html#comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0148c831019a970c">100 Reasons to Avoid Formula like the Plague</a><br />
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First, it made me incredibly sad. I had just finished giving David a bottle of formula; I don't have a donor right now for breast milk, and our family decided that we would only take breast milk donation from people we know well (which is 2 awesome ladies with small freezer stashes). There is another local baby, newborn and sick, who needs the milk more than my healthy horse of a toddler. The last comment had me crying into my colt's feather-soft hair as he slept in my arms.<br />
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<i>"<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">When you don't breastfeed you increase many risks and the child will never know it's true potential.</span><span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">"</span></i><br />
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<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">I cursed my body. I hated my body for its failure. I cursed my own inability to stay healthy enough to continue breastfeeding my son. I kissed his petal-soft skin and tears ran down my face as I considered the list and its comments. </span><i><span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">What if it's true? </span></i><span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">What if my baby boy will never reach his true potential because my body failed him?</span><br />
<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"><br />
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<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">Then, of course, my brain kicked in.</span><br />
<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"><br />
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<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">You see, what this list forgot (and the list is not necessarily accurate or 100% truthful, I'll address that later) is that a healthy mother, in both mind and body, trumps <b>every single reason </b>on that list. I am not a formula pusher. I am a lactivist, truly told. I don't think breast is "best"; I think it's "normal." That is a very, very important distinction. If you can breastfeed, you should. If you don't breastfeed because you want pretty boobs or you want to party or because it's simply "convenient", I don't have a lot of respect for your choice. Sorry. Doesn't mean I don't respect you, or that you're a bad mother, it means we disagree.</span><br />
<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"><br />
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<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">Cesarean section is not "normal". Vaginal birth is. Does that mean vaginal is best in every situation? No. Everything is relative. Guggie Daly, bless her amazing and insightful heart, wrote a <a href="http://guggiedaly.blogspot.com/2011/01/end-best-campaign.html">wonderful piece</a> recently about the need to end the Breast is Best campaign. I agree with her for all the reasons she mentioned, plus one. </span><br />
<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"><br />
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<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"><b>I didn't take the medicine I needed after my son was born because of lists like The Plague. </b>I almost DIED. I needed 2 blood transfusions. I almost had my large intestine cut out of my body. My large intestine is still bleeding, a year later, because I actually did avoid formula like the plague. Smart? No! <b>Stupid!</b> </span><span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"> A miserable, sick, barely human breastfeeding mother is not ideal. </span><span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">Dead mommies don't make milk, duh. </span><br />
<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"><b> </b></span><br />
<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"><b> </b>I am not the only one. I know 3 other mothers who also avoided medicine that was incompatible with breastfeeding, and who suffered serious health consequences as a result. One was suffering from PPD, and it got so bad that she attempted suicide and had to be committed. The low-level antidepressants she was taking weren't working, and the next level meant she couldn't breastfeed. She avoided formula "like the plague", and slit her wrists. I'm not making this up.</span><br />
<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"><br />
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<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">See, the funny thing is, when you've just had a baby, you just might not think straight, and lists like this haunt you. I didn't. Others didn't. </span><br />
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<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">I am an active member of many online mommy communities. Lately, I have seen a number of mothers with supply problems, who are trying everything they can to raise their supplies, discuss giving their young babies cow's milk or soy milk, believing that it's healthier than formula. There is a label now on the soy milk we purchased at Whole Foods - "not to be used as infant formula." Why, do you think, does it need to be there? It's not there for the mother who doesn't care what goes into her baby. </span><span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"></span><span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">It's there so people know that other milks are NOT a viable alternative to breast milk or formula. </span><br />
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<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">Formula, while deeply flawed, inferior and imperfect, is better than giving a 3 month old baby cow's milk, which is made for baby cows, not baby humans. Soy milk in particular is exceptionally dangerous for infants, lacking vital nutrients which are necessary to healthy development..</span><br />
<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"><br />
</span><br />
<span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content"><b>Don't avoid formula like the plague.</b> Don't avoid it like it's poison. It is neither plague nor poison. Avoid it if you have a breast milk alternative, be it pumped or from the breast. Avoid it as a sub-normal, vastly inferior alternative and don't kid yourself that it's "just as good" as breast milk,<b> because it's not</b>. It's not close to breast milk, no matter what the formula ads tell you. But don't avoid it to the detriment of your own health, mental or physical. Babies need a healthy mother more than than they need her breasts. </span><br />
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</b></div><div style="color: red;"><b><span id="comment-6a0134863db4a2970c0147e08f6d6f970b-content">[Related: this whole conversation goes away (or mostly goes away) if mothers who can breastfeed do, and if mothers who can donate do, and if mothers who can't have access to that donated breast milk. Please support breast milk donation! Check out <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Human-Milk-4-Human-Babies-Global-Network/180419095335971?ref=ts">Human Milk for Human Babies</a> on Facebook!]</span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-8919378583535076942011-01-26T05:53:00.000-08:002011-03-01T09:09:02.732-08:00The NINTH?Just a quick post today, totally non-parenting related, but a cool story nonetheless.<br />
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I've gotten a couple of emails, asking if my son is "really" the 9th David. Yes, he is. I hesitated to write this because of weird internet stalker potential, but I decided the story is worth the lack of anonymity.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.txscot.com/images/macfarlane.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="http://www.txscot.com/images/macfarlane.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br />
As the story goes, the first David fought for Bonnie Prince Charlie during the Jacobite rebellion in Scotland in the mid 18th century. He was one of the few survivors of the Battle of Culloden. Most of the members of the clan didn't participate in the rebellion, so David #1 was a bit of a rebel, and apparently quite a character. He was a younger brother of the clan laird, and his involvement in the rebellion almost cost the clan their lands... instead, he was imprisoned and briefly exiled.<br />
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The British response to the Battle of Culloden was severe and destructive to Scottish culture. The clans were systematically destroyed. David's older brother, Walter, was the last laird of Clan MacFarlane; after his death, the clan lands at Arrochar were sold; the clan was broken. <br />
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David #1 returned to Scotland and married after his brother's death, but he and his wife had trouble having children. They lost their first 3 sons to stillbirth. Their fouth son survived, and they named him David, with a promise to hold true to the history and heritage, and to always name first born sons David.<br />
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We've lost the "a" in Mac to an immigration oops, but the first born David tradition lives on. We hope to visit his ancestral land in Scotland some day. I am very proud of the gift of this name, even if it does get complicated at family gatherings (<i>"Dave! Which one? Big Dave! Big Dave the son? No, the Grandfather! Oh, Grandpa? No! #7, Dammit!"</i>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQcxdpScVgovEso9L1HmQqpbiCQbcqHsvfB7ur0GpkDwOAHxSeZC3323dYAKKNjKhjmlh-j5bE5pXI_llFHRNVyHkJOxwlYQ8M6qMvPWkGnCPjRcHzENkIXoYeJHCXhcsh2oXXwWXO3A/s1600/4Davids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQcxdpScVgovEso9L1HmQqpbiCQbcqHsvfB7ur0GpkDwOAHxSeZC3323dYAKKNjKhjmlh-j5bE5pXI_llFHRNVyHkJOxwlYQ8M6qMvPWkGnCPjRcHzENkIXoYeJHCXhcsh2oXXwWXO3A/s320/4Davids.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Davids 6, 7, 8 and 9</td></tr>
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Does your baby's name have a story? Do tell!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-48754752866574034032011-01-24T08:26:00.000-08:002011-01-24T09:44:56.243-08:00I was ____ and I'm fine!One of the things I admire most about my mother is her ability to be painfully, boldly honest with herself about her own actions and mistakes. It takes a deep level of courage, humility and flexibility to review your life's decisions, and not only admit to the mistakes that caused harm, but those that might have. We were discussing parenting - her parenting of us, my parenting of my son, and how wanting to do things <i>differently</i> or even <i>better</i> doesn't make anyone who didn't follow those paths <i>wrong.</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_tmAjBOBanyu3Xk6DHlW9SRikAh2EhG52zu7ho4dDIMGjdUO-LKh-4eeGDaxt3OQ0uTdJOqcgc5veibKqr-FC6JFXLRJl4tESS-hvtHAWQ6S4VgYo7lNTvKdqeqbRLrQRvtmG8XHF_g/s1600/erin-daddy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_tmAjBOBanyu3Xk6DHlW9SRikAh2EhG52zu7ho4dDIMGjdUO-LKh-4eeGDaxt3OQ0uTdJOqcgc5veibKqr-FC6JFXLRJl4tESS-hvtHAWQ6S4VgYo7lNTvKdqeqbRLrQRvtmG8XHF_g/s320/erin-daddy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and My Daddy, 1978</td></tr>
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<br />
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When I was a baby, my parents would visit their best friends on Fridays and play cards until late in the night. I would fall asleep, and rather than wake me up by putting me in my carseat (what passed for a carseat in the mid-70s anyway), my mother would hold me in her arms in the front seat of the car for the 5 mile drive home.<br />
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<b>I'm fine. </b><br />
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My mother wanted to breastfeed me, but her doctor told me that I wasn't getting enough milk. She switched to formula when I was 2 weeks old. She always regretted the decision, but she didn't feel confident enough to argue with her doctor.<br />
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<b>I'm fine.</b><br />
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<b> </b>My parents were raised "by the rod" and followed suit with us, until I was about 10 and my mom's research led them in a different direction for discipline. As a result, I was spanked more times than I can count, and the wooden spoon in the drawer doesn't remind me of baked goods.<br />
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<b>I'm fine.</b><br />
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I wasn't a great sleeper as a baby, and my parents were told by their parents and doctors that the only way I'd <i>ever </i>sleep was if they left me to cry it out, which they did for a week straight. It was such a miserable experience that they didn't repeat it with my brothers.<br />
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<b>I'm fine.</b><br />
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My parents smoked until I was 8. In the house. Mom didn't smoke while she was pregnant, but a lot of her friends did. I was around cigarette smoke constantly; I loved when my father would let me light his cigarette for him with his shiny Zippo. My grandparents, aunts and uncles all smoked.<br />
<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>I'm fine.</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ2_RG5L812vHuApUZQgtPiToPoZnI56iJ54ob7ahpzSTnX777xfmWxfOs2NvHe1kiKKMsUtOw3HONkNXAWM4-GITkGpmjIGVSWKYaOBrQ94p4pIZotjFEvKUhO0VNciLfNWRHTPMHi0/s1600/erin-jerry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ2_RG5L812vHuApUZQgtPiToPoZnI56iJ54ob7ahpzSTnX777xfmWxfOs2NvHe1kiKKMsUtOw3HONkNXAWM4-GITkGpmjIGVSWKYaOBrQ94p4pIZotjFEvKUhO0VNciLfNWRHTPMHi0/s320/erin-jerry.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1980's fashions never go out of style. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b> </b>Well, am I "fine"? I'm a responsible citizen, a good parent, a kind person. I pay my taxes, don't commit crimes, and try to be a respectable human being. I have a high IQ, make over 100K a year, and sing professionally in my spare time. I also have an auto-immune disease, occasional anxiety issues, and insomnia. Are these a result of being formula-fed, crying it out, being physically punished and exposed to second-hand smoke? Maybe, probably not - who can say for sure? What if my parents had gotten in a car accident while I was in my mom's lap? <br />
<br />
None of the examples above make my parents bad parents. Quite the opposite - my parents are loving, caring and wonderful people who did the very best they could with the information they had at hand. I have a close relationship with them; I am honored and lucky to have them. If I could have chosen my own parents, I would not have chosen differently. They are remarkable parents, and their willingness to admit to mistakes is one of the things that makes them so incredible.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDML4ZfRaLuhUBB0KqdqfagUH2WzIP3APYOKdJQsx9sWUX0pCizIejUBsly9BlKpNPtGVQheoAqOCn7pCwr_HjepwzjFplilxs5leNJdYY7L1EtCX52wlLKXH3nrYTK4tb-xUD8AXh9M/s1600/TheFam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDML4ZfRaLuhUBB0KqdqfagUH2WzIP3APYOKdJQsx9sWUX0pCizIejUBsly9BlKpNPtGVQheoAqOCn7pCwr_HjepwzjFplilxs5leNJdYY7L1EtCX52wlLKXH3nrYTK4tb-xUD8AXh9M/s320/TheFam.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole gang, Summer 2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
It bothers me when I hear people say, "I was _____ and I'm fine" as an excuse not try to for better with their kids. <b>When you know better, you do better</b>. Before you say, "I'm circumcised and I'm fine" or "I had peanut butter when I was 2 months old and I'm fine" or "My mom left me in the car while she went into the store and I'm fine", consider what might have happened.<br />
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I'm not a perfect parent. I'll never be perfect. There are already things I plan to do differently if I am blessed with another child (home birth and breastfeeding, to start the list!)<br />
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I can try to be the very best parent I can be, using as much evidence as I can to make parenting decisions, unhindered by the successes of the past. Despite my un-carseated history, I made it to adulthood....but you'd better bet my little guy is staying in his (rear-facing) carseat!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-3368346363486022012011-01-04T07:57:00.000-08:002011-01-04T08:26:22.964-08:00Bedsharing Lessons from TwizzlerEveryone, meet Twizzler.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaK_pypsXBMXCKGrjfY1NYQm7mJnXQw494kj2arJVmkuIAgTlQ8tuwukegofqRQX7YdljqZZHa3kygcoIqNp0kovIY0DDE_T65rzV95HiqwISM7PGbVN8oEE3O9lVzGVjmH-breIdXm1Y/s1600/Twizzler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaK_pypsXBMXCKGrjfY1NYQm7mJnXQw494kj2arJVmkuIAgTlQ8tuwukegofqRQX7YdljqZZHa3kygcoIqNp0kovIY0DDE_T65rzV95HiqwISM7PGbVN8oEE3O9lVzGVjmH-breIdXm1Y/s320/Twizzler.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twizzler, 6 weeks - goopy eyes and all.</td></tr>
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<br />
Twizzler's mother died in an alleyway soon after he was born. Luckily, a kind soul found him and his siblings and brought them to the local shelter. He was bottle-fed, and managed to survive, even thought 2 of his brothers didn't. I got a call from a friend at the shelter when they died; she suspected that little Twiz wasn't getting all the love he needed to thrive and asked me if I could bring him home.<br />
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Twizzler was super-tiny, his eyes didn't open all the way, and he was weak. I had to feed him with milk from a dropper. He was helpless and fragile. When night-time approached, I made up a nice bed for him in the bathroom, right near his litter box. I set him down in it, and he started to cry - tiny little sounds, calling for my help. Calling to not be left alone in the dark, like he'd spent so many nights, alone in his cage.<br />
<br />
I brought my tiny kitty to bed. He snuggled up under my chin, purring away. He actually tried to nurse on my blanket and even on my freckle (I've since learned that this is called "<a href="http://www.petplace.com/cats/wool-sucking/page1.aspx">woolsucking</a>" and often happens to kittens who are weaned too early). I held him close and settled down to sleep.<br />
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I woke up the next morning to an energetic kitten who seemed to have blossomed overnight. Over the next few days and weeks, Twizzler slowly became stronger. He was soon able to eat on his own, and could hop on and off my bed. He moved from my neck to the foot of my bed, and in time, learned to sleep in the living room.<br />
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He's now a big, happy, healthy cat - and he doesn't suck on the blankets anymore. He's independent, kind-hearted, and very friendly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_DO0Obj-7N9WwrW9RUfcrAMGCY-i49sheUdDNunpGuRsBZuTEHOSPESCKIe8qMY59EAwBYci18wJu36dtvj7ZWcW3aL7gawbjHPYbNKUDztO7LnxNMCj0byi0inYRmMhde10yWoL3s0/s1600/DSCN0131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_DO0Obj-7N9WwrW9RUfcrAMGCY-i49sheUdDNunpGuRsBZuTEHOSPESCKIe8qMY59EAwBYci18wJu36dtvj7ZWcW3aL7gawbjHPYbNKUDztO7LnxNMCj0byi0inYRmMhde10yWoL3s0/s320/DSCN0131.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mommy, Twizzler, and 1 week old David, napping </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> When David #9 made his entrance, I couldn't help but be reminded of my helpless kitty. Just like his feline companion, my little boy was fragile and depended on me for everything. And, just like my kitty, we had made a beautiful nursery for him....that he wanted nothing to do with! The first night he was home, I gently laid him on his back in his crib, and he immediately started to cry. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But...babies are supposed to sleep in cribs, right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, I brought him into our room, and laid him in the pack-and-play next to our bed. No dice. My baby didn't just want to sleep *near* me, he wanted to sleep *on* me. In my arms. For the first 5 weeks of my son's life, my husband and I slept in shifts. One of us would stay up holding the baby, and the other would sleep in the bed. I missed my husband, and he missed me. We were both sleep-deprived and I was getting sick.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As my regular readers have heard a few times, I landed in the hospital when my son was about 5 weeks old, for a little over a week. So, here Dave was, with a newborn (breastfed) baby that he not only had to immediately transition to formula, but who refused to sleep on his own! After one night of trying to stay up in the recliner, they fell asleep the next night, together, in our king-sized, firm mattress, with the blankets down by Dave's waist.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My son slept for 6 hours, the longest he'd ever slept.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When Dave told me about it, I was upset. I'd read all of the warnings about SIDS and how horrific it was to sleep with your baby. He was ready for me! He presented me with research, printed (love that man) about the benefits of co-sleeping and how to bedshare safely. I was still skeptical. Babies are supposed to sleep in cribs!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I got home, David started to sleep in his crib for the first part of the night, and would bedshare with us if he woke up. Unless his Daddy put him to bed... in our bed. I was still unsure. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A couple of weeks later, when he hit teething for the first time, Dave looked at me and said:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>"Honey... You'll let the cat sleep with us, but not the baby?"</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wpclipart.com/signs_symbol/assorted/assorted_2/idea_light_bulb.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.wpclipart.com/signs_symbol/assorted/assorted_2/idea_light_bulb.png" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DING!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, duh. How silly of me. Just like my helpless little kitty, of course my baby wanted to be close to us. And, just like my kitty, I was happy to have him in bed with us. I love waking up to his sunny smiles in the morning; I loved not having to schlep out of bed to get him. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Nowadays, David sleeps with us most of the time. He starts the night in his crib sometimes, when (ahem) Mommy and Daddy feel like having the bed to ourselves (if the couch won't do). We practice safe bedsharing, and I wouldn't have it any other way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He belongs with us. It just feels right. We got him a tee-shirt for Christmas that says this: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images1.cafepress.com/image/28969281_125x125.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images1.cafepress.com/image/28969281_125x125.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And now, I really feel that way. I don't "let" David sleep with us. We are privileged to have him to snuggle with. Twizzler thinks so too; he's usually curled up by my feet. I know that's not on the safe bedsharing list, but I think he's earned it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-18145597768593398322010-12-27T10:10:00.000-08:002011-01-04T08:26:53.146-08:00O Holy NightWell, it's a couple of days past Christmas, but I wanted to post anyway. This post is partially inspired by the Christmas Eve service, but I couldn't write it until now!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2294/2078573462_9cabc36d4f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2294/2078573462_9cabc36d4f.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I celebrate Christmas, as the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The Christmas story has always captivated me. <br />
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Even as a child, I could picture being heavy with child and wandering the streets with nowhere to stay, frightened and tired. I can imagine finding a cold, drafty barn - and can barely imagine giving birth, unassisted, in the hay. A young first-time and unmarried mother, with her fiance who may or may not (to the world) be the father of the baby, horses, cows and sheep as her midwives - no epidural or hospital delivery room here! When she delivered safely and finally held her baby boy in her arms, I imagine she looked into his newborn eyes and saw the face of God.<br />
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I know how she felt. I felt it, 9 months ago, when I first looked into my son's eyes. Holding a baby is like holding a piece of God.<br />
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Babies are magic. No matter your faith, there is something truly spiritual about holding a newborn child - yours or someone else's. You hold them and wonder where the soul inside came from, because clearly it is not far flung from that place. Everything else stops; all the worry, the fear, the "hustle and bustle." For the moments that precious soul curls up on your body, you would give anything to protect them from harm. You understand the meaning of "precious" and "priceless." Whenever I doubt the existence of something greater, I hold a newborn in my arms and I know, by some definition (even if not my own), He is real.<br />
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Christmas is celebrated at the winter Solstice, although research indicates that Jesus of Nazereth was likely born around September. As the early Christian church was encountering pagan nations, those people would not (could not) give up the celebration of this time each year, when the darkest nights finally give way to light and hope. What could be more hopeful than birth? So, the return of the Sun became the birth of the Son, the arrival of light into a dark world. <br />
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As we finish up our Christmas season, I hope you can hold a piece of Christmas in your arms. My hope for this year is that every child that enters this world be treated with love, as the magnificent gift that they are. I pray that we will all work to give those beautiful, freshly-delivered souls a world worthy of their innocence. If you are Christian, when you're holding that precious child in your arms, imagine the gift that God gave the world, if He sent His only son to us, to be our light through dark nights. <br />
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For every night, a child is born, every night a child is given. Every night is a Holy Night.<br />
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Merry Christmas, everyone.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-73816293951040475892010-12-21T10:48:00.000-08:002011-04-27T10:22:25.019-07:00Necesareans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Note: if you are planning a natural birth, especially with <a href="http://www.hypnobabies.com/">hypnosis</a>, don't read this without your "Bubble of Peace" on Mega-Force-Field-Strength. If you are planning a peaceful, wonderful, pleasant and awesome birth and you want to visualize only wonderful happy things, click <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gKBjzu9s44&has_verified=1">here </a>for my favorite water birth video.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you'd like to learn about real medical reasons for c-sections so you can potentially help avoid an unnecessary one, please proceed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You've been warned. Bubble up?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Necesareans</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.euphoriababy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/csection.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.euphoriababy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/csection.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The current US c-section rate is somewhere between 33 and 38% of all deliveries. The World Health Organization states that <a href="http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/best_practices/globalsurvey/en/">no region in the world should have a rate greater than 10-15%</a>. If the WHO is correct, that means that 54%-73% of all American cesarean deliveries are unnecessary. Average the numbers out, and that means that <b>2 out of every 3 c-sections performed in the USA may be unnecessary</b>. Let’s play with some pretend, averaged and hypothetical numbers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.salon.com/life/broadsheet/2010/03/24/c_section_increase_stats_open2010/csec_rate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://www.salon.com/life/broadsheet/2010/03/24/c_section_increase_stats_open2010/csec_rate.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 2010 rate is estimated at 33.9%.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">100 laboring women. 33 have c-sections. <b>22 women had surgery they <i>may </i>have been able to avoid.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now here’s the twist. <b>11 of them did need c-sections.</b> There are valid medical reasons for c-sections. Women used to die in labor, far more often than they do today. Babies used to die in horrific numbers during childbirth, and the c-section is an amazing medical advance, a relatively “safe-ish” surgery that can and does save lives. Before the advent of the c-section, labor and delivery were leading causes of death for young women and babies. Since 1980 (and not on this chart), the number of maternal deaths is rising again, and many say it is because of the overuse of the cesarean section.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ajcn.org/content/vol72/issue1/images/large/011384a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://www.ajcn.org/content/vol72/issue1/images/large/011384a.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maternal deaths per 100,000, 1880-1980</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">How do you know which one you are? Is your birth a real emergency, one of the 11, or one of the 22 that might have been avoided and could be putting you and your baby at needless risk? Your doctor will always tell you that you’re one of the 11, unless you have an elective surgery (<i>very rare – despite the hype, less than 0.5% of c-sections are truly elective, with zero “medical” reasoning provided</i>). Your doctor will always say that you had a c-section because it was necessary.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So, you’re in labor, or close to it. Things aren’t going according to plan. Your doctor wants to do a c-section, and they’ve been to medical school. You haven’t. How do you keep from being part of the 22? How do you know if you’re one of the 11? Ultimately, you have to trust your care provider, which is why selecting one is so very important. You also have to do everything you can to reduce your risk of running into a real medical reason (avoiding interventions unless they are medically necessary).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Below is a list of medical indications for cesarean section, with details. Knowledge is power, right?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>As always, please note: I am not a doctor. I have not gone to medical school. I have never performed a c-section. I am not an expert. I am a mommy who likes to write stuff and post it on the internet. Please do not take anything I write as medical advice, but as information and opinion. Inform yourself, do your own research, and talk to your medical experts before you make a serious decision that could seriously impact you and your baby.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Necessary C-Sections</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Placenta Previa</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/articles/health_and_medical_reference/womens_health/understanding_placenta_previa_basics_Placenta_Previa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/articles/health_and_medical_reference/womens_health/understanding_placenta_previa_basics_Placenta_Previa.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Placenta Previa means that your placenta is located above your cervix. Both partial and complete placenta previa (placenta blocks the cervix completely at the time of delivery) is absolutely an indication for c-section. If your placenta blocks your baby’s exit, you are at risk for extreme bleeding, and there is no way for the baby to get out.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you should know</u>: Placentas can move. Suspected placenta previa can be often be confirmed via ultrasound or even via vaginal exam. Just because you have a low-lying placenta early in your pregnancy does not mean it won’t shift out of the way by the time of delivery. “Marginal” placenta previa, where the placenta is just very close to the cervix, is not generally an indication for c-section. You should know which one you have before you consent; information is power.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cord Prolapse</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.fotosearch.com/bthumb/LIF/LIF119/PROLPSCD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.fotosearch.com/bthumb/LIF/LIF119/PROLPSCD.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">If your water breaks, and the cord comes out before the baby, this is Umbilical Cord Prolapse. Cord prolapse is an immediate emergency – either you must <a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/262470-overview">immediately</a> deliver vaginally, or proceed directly to the OR. Time is of the essence to save the baby’s life – whichever method gets the baby out fastest should be used.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you should know:</u> Cord prolapse is much more likely to happen if your baby is premature, and <b>especially </b>if your waters are broken artificially. So, if your care provider offers to "get things moving" by breaking your water with a hook, remember that this is a (small) possibility.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>“True” Knot in Umbilical Cord</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.geospectra.net/kite/knots/knot26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.geospectra.net/kite/knots/knot26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">These are very difficult to diagnose prenatally, but it has happened with 3D ultrasound (which carries risk). A true knot is exactly what it sounds like - it can prevent oxygen from getting to the baby. If one is seen on ultrasound (again, rare – usually they are discovered after delivery), you will likely be sent to the OR.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Placental Abruption</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.pennmedicine.org/health_info/pregnancy/graphics/images/en/19747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://www.pennmedicine.org/health_info/pregnancy/graphics/images/en/19747.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If your placenta detaches from the wall of your uterus while the baby is still inside you, this is a placental abruption. Symptoms are severe abdominal pain, heavy bleeding and back pain. Partial abruption prior to labor is usually treated by bed rest and transfusions, but a complete abruption at any point or any kind of abruption during labor is an emergency situation. Like a cord prolapse, immediate steps need to be taken to get the baby out – immediate vaginal delivery or emergency cesarean.<br />
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<a href="http://ecmama.blogspot.com/2010/06/whole-story-tragic-homebirth-of-aquila_21.html">Click here</a> to read a very sad story about a baby lost due to an abruption - recognizing the symptoms of an abruption and seeking immediate, emergency help is vital to avoiding this tragic result. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Uterine Rupture</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If the uterus tears, an immediate, emergency c-section must be performed to save the life of the mother and baby. This is rare (1/1500 births).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you should know</u>: Risk of uterine rupture is often given as a reason not to allow VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean). New research shows that the risk of c-sections may be higher than the risk of rupture, which is very rare. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Toxemia, Severe Pre-Eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, pregnancy-induced hypertension</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://controlinghighbloodpressure.com/wp-content/uploads/high_blood_pressure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://controlinghighbloodpressure.com/wp-content/uploads/high_blood_pressure.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Pregnancy-induced hypertension is high blood pressure that just keeps rising. Eclampsia, toxemia and HELLP are all potential complications of uncontrolled high blood pressure in a pregnant woman. If PiH isn’t controlled, high blood pressure can cause strokes, cerebral hemorrhage, respiratory distress and even death for the mother, as well as endanger the baby. Toxemia, HELLP and Eclampsia are all potentially deadly complications of uncontrolled PiH. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">During pregnancy, there are a number of treatments that can slow disease progression. The only “cure” is delivery. If your blood pressure rises severely enough and quickly enough, it is imperative to get the baby out ASAP. BP over 160/110 is considered severe. Because prolonged labor can be stressful on your body (not that c-sections aren’t!) many doctors prefer to perform a c-section to avoid the possibility of your blood pressure rising further. If the situation becomes unmanageable, immediate action to deliver the baby is required.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>You should know:</u> You can reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia with diet and exercise, among other things. Click <a href="http://www.preeclampsia.org/">here </a>for more information about pre-e (to start).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Transverse Lie (baby is lying sideways)</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> </b><a href="http://www.sehha.com/medical/pregnancy/delivery/TransverseLie2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sehha.com/medical/pregnancy/delivery/TransverseLie2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">While it is possible to deliver a breech baby vaginally, it is not possible to deliver a baby who is sideways in the womb. That being said, babies move. Just because your baby is sideways NOW doesn’t mean they’ll be sideways when you actually go into labor. <a href="http://www.birthingnaturally.net/birth/challenges/transverse.html"> 80% of babies</a> who are transverse at 37 weeks have moved when you go into labor! So, don’t just schedule the c-section. Wait to see if baby flips. Check out <a href="http://www.spinningbabies.com/">http://www.spinningbabies.com/</a> if you want to get your baby on the move.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>You should know</u>: While transverse lie is an indication for surgery, breech often isn't. See below.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Acute Fetal Distress</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Fetal distress is often used as a reason for c-section delivery, but the definition is nebulous. “We’re worried about the baby” is a sure-fire way to get a laboring woman into the OR without argument. <b>There is a difference between “fetal distress” and “acute fetal distress.”</b> There is a clear definition of acute fetal distress. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Most babies become mildly distressed during labor – so do many moms! Being born is hard work, and it can be stressful. Your baby is often working as hard as you are in this team effort. There’s a BIG difference between being stressed and being in danger. Below are the textbook definitions of “Acute Fetal Distress”. #1, 2 and 5 alone are enough to indicate acute distress. #3 and 4 are used in conjunction with other factors.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 – Fetal heart rate greater than180 bpm or less than 100 bpm for longer than 4 minutes. Note – an occasional rise or fall to these numbers does not automatically indicate distress. An average over one minute is used. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">2- Repeated or variable deceleration. It is normal for the baby’s heart rate to increase and decrease during and after contractions. If the dips become too severe, it can indicate fetal distress. If they don’t happen in time with the contractions (variable), they could be related to something else, such as trouble with the cord or placenta. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 – Meconium staining of the amniotic fluid. This alone is not necessarily an indication of distress, but it is a symptom. Distressed babies release meconium (poop in the womb). Not all babies who produce meconium in utero are distressed. (Irish girls have pale skin. Not all girls with pale skin are Irish.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> 4 – Fetal Movement: frequent decrease and weakening. Again, this is not an indicator by itself; many babies get “quiet” during labor, often just to sleep. If decreased movement happens along with another factor, it’s cause for concern.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">5 – Acidosis: If you want to be sure if your baby is in distress and there is time, this is a definitive test. A blood sample is taken from your baby’s head (a tiny scratch). They can immediately test the blood’s PH, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels to see if your baby isn’t getting enough oxygen. This is only possible if the baby’s head is engaged and your water had broken.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> pH below 7.20 (Additional information about acidocis <a href="http://www.fpnotebook.com/ob/Lab/FtlSclpPh.htm">here</a>)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> pO2 (oxygen level) below 10mmHg</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> CO2 (carbon dioxide) above 60mmHg</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If the baby is in acute distress, it’s time to get the baby out, by the swiftest method possible. Please, if your doctor says the baby is in danger, don't spend time printing out this post and checking the lab work...<br />
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More information about fetal distress <a href="http://www.fpnotebook.com/OB/Ld/NnrsrngFtlSts.htm">here</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>You should know: </u>If the baby is in mild distress, the first course of action should be to attempt to remove whatever is causing distress. Sometimes, your position can be compressing the cord – occasionally, if you change position (lie on your side, your stomach, or even get in a tub), this can alleviate pressure and allow the cord blood to flow properly. If you’re on pitocin, they should turn it off. Overly strong contractions can stress the baby.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Previous Abdominal Surgery</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This is not absolute, but depends on the type of incision and the type of scarring. Certain abdominal surgeries can cause complications during vaginal childbirth. One example is a iliostomy/j-pouch surgery, removal of intestines, vertical previous c-section, or c-section that is not yet healed (less than 1 year). Necessity is dependent on the location of scarring and weaker tissue.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Active Herpes Lesions</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you have genital herpes and have active lesions, you can pass the disease on to your baby at birth. Herpes can be deadly to a newborn, and there is no cure, so they’ve got it for life. Between 10 and 14% of women with genital herpes have a lesion at delivery. The chance of passing the virus to your baby decreases based on the amount of time Mom has had the disease. If you have had herpes for years, the theory goes that you have developed antibodies and will pass these to your baby – even if you have a current lesion. If you acquire herpes during your pregnancy, especially during the 2nd and 3rd trimester, your risk is highest, and you may consider a c-section even if no lesions are present. See <a href="http://www.herpes.com/pregnancy.shtml">this site</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Multiples greater than twins</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Triplet and higher deliveries are almost always delivered by c-section. First, these deliveries are rarely full-term, and premature babies may not handle the stress of labor as well as full-term babies. Second, 3+ cords and 3+ placentas can be complicated. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">You should know: Twins are regularly delivered vaginally without complication. Even triplets can and have been delivered vaginally (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7856678">see here for a recent study</a>), but this is rare because triplets and greater so often arrive ahead of schedule.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Known Health Emergency for Baby</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If your baby has certain known health issues or birth defects (I hate that phrase, no baby is “defective”) that need to be addressed immediately, a cesarean section may be your best choice. Work with your neonatologist.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Health of the Mother</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">If a mother is physically incapable of labor because of her own health conditions, c-section is the alternative. <b> </b> Some examples include physical abnormality (certain kinds of dwarfism or pelvic abnormalities), some kinds of paralyzation, out-of-control diabetes, and a few other extreme conditions.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Generally speaking, most women are capable of at least attempting a vaginal birth (there is stress involved in a c-section as well; delivering a baby isn't a walk in the park no matter what your health). You and your doctor need to weigh the benefits and risks.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">DEBATED REASONS</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">These are reasons often given for cesarean sections. There is debate about them. Some people say they’re necessary to mitigate risk, others say that vaginal birth should first be attempted. Do your research, work with your care providers and reach your own conclusions.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you do decide to have a c-section, armed with the facts, more power to you. My goal is informed consent. If you personally decide that the risks of a c-section are less than the risks of vaginal birth, awesome. I just hate to see women pressured into something they "had" to do when they didn't want it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Abnormal Fetal Position (breech): </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://birthwithoutfearblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/BreechPositions2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://birthwithoutfearblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/BreechPositions2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Most midwives and doctors will not deliver a breech baby vaginally – but some will. Many babies are born happily and peacefully in the “frank breech” position, that is, butt first, feet by head. This position is most favorable to vaginal birth, if you can find an experienced provider who is willing to assist. Breech babies have all been delivered successfully vaginally. Breech births do carry higher risks of cord prolapse, increasing with the type of breech delivery. Not included here is Footling breech, which carries the highest risk. In this presentation, baby comes out feet first. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you attempt vaginal delivery of a breech baby, it is of vital importance that your midwife/OB be well-versed in the intricacies of breech birth. If you can’t find one (providers are much more rare than breech presentations), you may have a c-section. It is important to note that vaginal breech birth should not be attempted without an experienced medical professional who is on board with delivering breech. There are risks to delivering breech vaginally; neonatal death has happened as a result of breach deliveries being handled improperly. Work with your provider to assess your individual situation.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>HIV Infection</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://worldnews99.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Hiv-ribbon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://worldnews99.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Hiv-ribbon.jpg" width="143" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Some research has shown that HIV transmission from mother to baby can be reduced by surgical delivery. Other research has contradicted this, and found that there is no increased risk with vaginal delivery. For more information, start here and keep on going: <a href="http://www.wdxcyber.com/npreg13.htm">http://www.wdxcyber.com/npreg13.htm</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Failure to Progress</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://cm.iparenting.com/fc/editor_files/images/1042/Articles/82568541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://cm.iparenting.com/fc/editor_files/images/1042/Articles/82568541.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I would personally argue with this reason. If failure to progress exists but is not accompanied by any health issues for mom or baby (see Acute Fetal Distress above), what most mothers need is <b>patience</b>, not surgery. Mom may need more support. She may need help feeling safe. She may need (eek, omg, yes I’m saying it), help with pain so she can sleep, or other medical assistance. Surgery should be the last option, not the first. Get in a tub. Close the doors and kick the world outside. Listen to soft music, turn down the lights. Magic can happen!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Long ago in caveman days, you wouldn't want to deliver a baby in "unsafe" conditions. Say, there's a warring tribe attacking your cave, or a tiger on the loose - real, physical danger. You wouldn't want to deliver a helpless baby. We're programmed so that labor slows down in periods of stress and fear. Many women who aren't progressing need to feel extra safe and protected before their bodies will allow them to birth their children. Threatening most women with unwanted surgery is not a way to make them feel safe! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Healthy labors can last for days, especially the first time around. This is not necessarily pathogenic. It is annoying to hospital administrations who may want the room for the next woman.... So, personally, unless fetal or maternal health shows signs of deterioration, I'd argue against the knife.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">True “failure to progress” is defined as 4 or more hours with no dilation progress, when mom is dilated at least 5cm. Early labor (less than 5cm dilated) can last for a really long time under totally normal circumstances. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Twins (or sometimes even triplets)</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Twins are, like breech, a variation on normal. Like breech delivery, you will need to find an experienced caregiver to work with you, but it's absolutely possible. Baby position is also key here - ideal presentation is below, but babies have been successfully delivered in all sorts of presentations. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This is a great site to see videos of twins born vaginally: <a href="http://www.givingbirthnaturally.com/natural-childbirth-video.html">http://www.givingbirthnaturally.com/natural-childbirth-video.html</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/227885/please-share-your-natural-twin-birth-experiences-i-m-expecting-in-march">This </a>is also a great discussion of mothers who've done it.<br />
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An additional complication to the births of multiples is prematurity or babies who are small for their gestational age. Please work closely with a trusted professional to determine your best </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.babycenter.com/i/m/stages/newpopups/24/twins_week24_rollover_index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="http://assets.babycenter.com/i/m/stages/newpopups/24/twins_week24_rollover_index.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twins, both head down, an ideal position for vaginal birth.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><b> </b> <u>What you should know: </u>Delivering one twin vaginally and then the next by c-section is not unheard of. Some providers (but not all) prefer that you have an OR on "standby" or at least nearby when delivering twins or triplets the old-fashioned way. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Previous Cesarean Delivery</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">VBACs are not permitted in many hospitals. Why? Well, there have been some studies done that showed an increased risk of uterine rupture in mothers who had previously had a c-section. It scared hospital administrations, and nowadays a lot of hospitals won't let you try vaginally.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The evidence does not support this fear. The risks of a second c-section are usually higher than the risks of attempting vaginal birth. You may have to fight hard for a VBAC, but <a href="http://www.vbac.com/">the evidence is with you</a>.<br />
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I am oversimplifying the situations surrounding VBAC - but if you'd like to consider it, please do some research. Not all cesareans are alike, and not everyone is a good candidate for VBAC. If you are a candidate, you may want to consider it. See the bottom of this page for additional information. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Macrosomia (baby's too big)</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This one's tossed around a lot as a reason for surgery. Again, most evidence does not support it.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ksl.com/emedia/slc/20/2068/206827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://www.ksl.com/emedia/slc/20/2068/206827.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't remember where I found this picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 - It is very difficult to truly assess the size of a baby before he's born. Ultrasounds and belly measurements are notorious for being <b>way </b>off.</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 - Most mothers' bodies won't make a baby too big to come out.</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 - Big babies are delivered vaginally all the time. 11-12 pounders!</div><div style="text-align: left;">4 - Baby fat squishes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If a baby is truly too big to come out the old-fashioned way, that will prove out in labor.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD)</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">A variation on the "baby's too big" theme, true CPD is also rare, and virtually impossible to diagnose prenatally. CPD means the baby is too large to fit. Sometimes smaller-statured mothers are given this as a reason for c-section. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Tiny mommies have big babies naturally all the time. CPD is real, but it varies widely. Mothers who have had c-sections for CPD have gone on to have successful VBACs. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>You should know</u>: If a baby does get "stuck" (shoulder dystocia), changing positions can enlarge the pelvic opening. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ina_May_Gaskin#The_Gaskin_Maneuver">Gaskin Manuver</a> is a potentially life-saving technique that can be used in the event of shoulder distocia. The lithotomy position (on your back with your legs up in stirrups) is the one of the *smallest* positions for a woman's pelvis. Flip to all fours or squat, and you can get up to another 3cm in diameter! Shoulder dystocia is a true emergency for the baby, and a competent provider is absolutely essential to saving the baby's life.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Plus-Sized Mama</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyziX0I69T1RhA6ym-p9r5YQhvyiEHco5QwWdnrxBKcQX7NGPrYzmM5EpfbAGxBXc3uD-KcLOz_h2bCb79OHu7Il0STC6txgiYvp19MLCmsBvKye1KkAd4AXfWdRHq00HfjvebHxC6xAw/s1600/plus-size.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyziX0I69T1RhA6ym-p9r5YQhvyiEHco5QwWdnrxBKcQX7NGPrYzmM5EpfbAGxBXc3uD-KcLOz_h2bCb79OHu7Il0STC6txgiYvp19MLCmsBvKye1KkAd4AXfWdRHq00HfjvebHxC6xAw/s320/plus-size.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I am a plus sized mama. I gave birth (vaginally) to a 7 pound baby, who ultrasound "estimated" at 9 pounds 3 days before his birth. Whoops. So much for that "big baby" worry. Some doctors offices will label you "high risk" by the size of clothes you're wearing, and automatically steer your chubby self to the operating table. I call bullsh!t on this one, with some exception.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Generally speaking, if you are healthy enough to vigorously engage in the activity that got you pregnant in the first place, there's no reason that you shouldn't at least attempt a vaginal birth. If, however, you have a hard time getting around, you might have a tough time managing labor. You never know though - you may be surprised with the amazing things your body can do.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In fact, the risks of c-sections are often higher in obese women then the risks of vaginal delivery. Check <a href="http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/companion.asp?id=21&compID=125">this</a> out if you're a plus-sized mama-to-be. Personally, I don't see harm in attempting a vaginal birth, no matter what your size - but, again, not a doctor.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>You should know:</u> Taking care of yourself during pregnancy and having a supportive care provider are the best ways to ensure a healthy labor and delivery, regardless of your size. If you are plus sized and suspect that your provider is not "size-friendly", switch.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://letsliveforever.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/leboyer-birth-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://letsliveforever.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/leboyer-birth-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">There are undoubtedly many reasons I missed that are either real or dubious reasons for c-section. If you know of any, please comment with them and I will happily edit this article. I will also happily correct any (verifiable) mistakes; I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on the internet.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ultimately, many c-sections are necessary, but not all of them. Women who have c-sections are no less strong and awesome than those who deliver vaginally, with or without medical assistance. <b>C-sections are not a failure</b>, often they are a massive and amazing miracle that could have resulted in the death of mother or baby not long ago in our history.<br />
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What's important through the whole process is <b>informed consent</b>; if you have a c-section, that you understand why it is necessary and agree with your doctors about the choice. Choice, and understanding. C-sections are a blessing and a curse; if used when necessary, <b>c-sections save lives</b>. If unnecessary, they put the health of the mother and baby at increased risk for infection, bleeding, and even death.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Women are people worthy of respect throughout all of labor and delivery. Contrary to media portrayals, we are capable, intelligent and rational people, even after our water breaks. :) We want what is best for our babies, and we want to be treated as adults and active participants in our own healthcare.<br />
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<b>Additional Resources:</b> <br />
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For more information about the unnecessary c-section epidemic and how it's affecting maternal and neonatal health, check out: <a href="http://www.theunnecesarean.com/">http://www.theunnecesarean.com/</a> and <a href="http://www.ican-online.org/">http://www.ican-online.org/</a><br />
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For information about VBACs, click here: <a href="http://www.vbac.com/">http://www.vbac.com/</a> and <a href="http://vbacfacts.com/">http://vbacfacts.com/</a><br />
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For support dealing with birth trauma, including PTSD, visit these sites: <a href="http://www.solaceformothers.org/">http://www.solaceformothers.org/</a> and <a href="http://www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk/">http://www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk/</a><br />
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To learn more about recovering from a c-section, see here: <a href="http://www.csectionrecovery.com/">http://www.csectionrecovery.com/</a> and <a href="http://www.csectionguide.com/">http://www.csectionguide.com/</a><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-63830486477027470022010-12-19T12:51:00.000-08:002011-03-05T16:21:14.504-08:00How to Support Breastfeeding without Demonizing Formula<div style="text-align: left;">The most positive changes made in the world are not against something but for it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">It can be very tempting to further the normalization of breastfeeding by demonizing formula, or worse, by demonizing formula-feeding mothers. It calls to you. The information's right there, and, if you breastfeed, it makes you feel better about yourself and better about your struggles and your hard work to bring it up. I remember! It's so tempting to respond to the Similac recall with "<i>Serves you right, you should have breastfed" </i>or "<i>Boobs don't have bugs</i>, <i>this is mom's fault</i>." Formula sucks. The educated, informed women who read this stuff already know that. Most of us tried to breastfeed, and we hate that we're giving our babies crap. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Attacking formula-feeding mothers is incredibly detrimental in a number of ways, but the biggest one is that you potentially lose very strong allies by doing so. Me, for example. My <a href="http://9davids.blogspot.com/2010/11/nurse-ins-are-for-everyone.html">nursing in public post</a> has now been read by over 30,000 people in a month (<i>squee</i>!). That's good for breastfeeding. We <b>all </b>need formula-feeding moms on the side of babies and boobs.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://womenonthefence.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/mommy-wars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://womenonthefence.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/mommy-wars.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Some of the strongest advocates in the intactivist movement are mothers who circumcised their first children. Marilyn Fayre Milos, for example. Some of the strongest advocates for gentle discipline are those who chose corporal punishment first. Some of the strongest proponents of natural birth are those who experienced an over-medicated labor or an "unnecessarian". Many cloth diapering mothers chose cloth because their babies' bottoms reacted badly to disposables.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Many lactivists have never fed their babies an ounce of formula, and some (certainly not all) really seem to enjoy making that fact very known. They should be proud, but sometimes comments cross the line. Formula-feeding mothers are referred to as "lazy", "selfish", "lame", "stupid", "irresponsible" and worse. I'm not pulling this from my own imagination; I am a member of many natural parenting groups and have seen all of these accusations <u>in the last month</u>. I am not an advocate for formula-feeding, any more than I am an advocate for cesareans. I believe that supporting breastfeeding means supporting breastfeeding. No more, and certainly no less.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So, if you want to be a lactivist without pissing off us lazy, irresponsible mothers who <a href="http://9davids.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-breastfeeding-story.html">didn't try hard enough</a> (ha-ha-ha-ha-ha), what else can you do? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b><br />
</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>How to Support Breastfeeding </b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>Without Being a Boob</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Support nursing in public</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0T0UhsSvRCpCEPPytyLi6OPgrXRjVTdljpi0sSenZdfNanP1T62Z0K7P_ZUytgchPDRxUPJ-jFAqRfX94lq3PUARIKxZQmy6Gkd-902EwTrMfGynKknTdAm0QoWRLY8EhLfo73W9iqI/s1600/carnival+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0T0UhsSvRCpCEPPytyLi6OPgrXRjVTdljpi0sSenZdfNanP1T62Z0K7P_ZUytgchPDRxUPJ-jFAqRfX94lq3PUARIKxZQmy6Gkd-902EwTrMfGynKknTdAm0QoWRLY8EhLfo73W9iqI/s320/carnival+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://9davids.blogspot.com/2010/11/nurse-ins-are-for-everyone.html">I've talked about this one a lot</a>. 'Nuff said.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you can do:</u> If you are a breastfeeding mother, unashamedly nurse in public. If you can't, thank or at least smile at women who are. Tell the nursing mama that she's welcome to nurse in your living room if she wants to, and she doesn't have to cover up if she doesn't want to. If someone brings up the topic of breastfeeding in public, make your views known, don't stay silent. If you see a nursing mother being asked to leave a public place, come to her aid and fight the flight attendant for her. Support laws that protect nursing mothers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Support longer, paid maternity leave</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://cuprogressive.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/paid_maternity_leave1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://cuprogressive.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/paid_maternity_leave1.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Compared to the rest of the developed world, the USA has an <b>embarrassing </b>maternity leave policy. There is no paid maternity leave on a national level. FMLA guarantees 12 weeks of time off every 2 years, without pay, but only if you work for a company with more than 50 employees (in the same state) and have worked there for at least a year. Unpaid. If you work for a small company, just got a new job, or (gasp) have another baby less than 2 years after your last, you're likely out of a job, permanently, if you take leave at all.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Some states extend temporary disability benefits for 6-8 weeks, at a paltry 60% of base earnings, with a low cap. Other states provide nothing. A well-off family can budget for this time, but eventually, the savings run low. A single mother who works at a small company has no real choice - either she goes on welfare or goes back to work. A two-income family, living paycheck-to-paycheck may have no choice at all.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Conversely, Norway and Sweden offer <b>13-16 months of paid maternity leave</b> at 100% of base earnings. The rest of Europe averages between 16 and 26 weeks (6 months), also paid at 100%. Maternity leave in most of these countries is compulsory - you can't go back to work 3 weeks after your baby is born, even if you "want" to.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">There is a direct correlation between the length of maternity leave and breastfeeding success. </div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19117845">University of California</a>: "A maternity leave of < or =6 weeks or 6 to 12 weeks after delivery was associated, respectively, with a fourfold and twofold higher odds of failure to establish breastfeeding and an increased probability of cessation after successful establishment"</li>
</ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428090707.htm">University of Melbourne</a>: "Mothers who returned to work full-time within three months of birth were twice as likely to have stopped breastfeeding by the time their baby was six months, than those who were not employed. Mothers who returned to work full time between three and six months of birth were three times as likely to have stopped breastfeeding by the time their baby was six months than non-employed women."</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">When Canada extended maternity leave from 6 months to one year, they saw a large increase in infants who were successfully and exclusively breastfed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you can do:</u> Contact your congressional representatives - both senators and representative. Contact your local state representatives and senators. Let them know that you support paid parental leave and extension of FMLA to include all employers and employees, and to extend to at least 52 weeks.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Support certified lactation consultants</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.milcc.org/images/IBCLCpin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.milcc.org/images/IBCLCpin.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Poor medical advice for breastfeeding is pervasive through the system. Certified lactation consultants can save a breastfeeding relationship. Unfortunately, they are expensive to hire, and their services are not usually covered by medical insurance. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">A lactation consultant can take a mother from the brink of quitting to a healthy, happy nursing relationship. She can save damaged, bleeding, painful nipples. She can fix bad latches and bad positioning, she can un-advise against bad advice. She can make magic happen - if she is given the opportunity.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The average visit to a lactation consultant costs $250-$300 - and while it's certainly cheaper than a year's worth of formula, to the low-income mother on unpaid maternity leave, it might as well be a million bucks. After all, formula is covered by WIC. LCs are a luxury that many women cannot afford.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Further, they're not that easy to find. Sure, if you're part of the AP community, you know the names of a few off the top of your head - but where would the average mother get this information? I hadn't heard of lactation consultants until I started to really research...and not all mothers research.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you can do</u>: Call your insurance company and ask if they cover lactation consultants. If they don't, ask why not, and ask how you can complain in writing. Make sure your pregnant friends know the names of LCs in their area. Provide a list of LCs to your local hospitals, visiting nurses associations, YMCAs and OB offices. Post the date and times of local LLL meetings on community bulletin boards and in supermarkets. Provide that information to teen mother support groups. If you are a LC, consider donating some of your time or offering low-cost services, even on a group basis to low-income mothers.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Support gentle birth</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/breastfeeding%2821%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/breastfeeding%2821%29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Getting a good start at breastfeeding is so very important. Maternity leave, lactation consultants, and pediatrician support only work if a mother begins her breastfeeding relationship right. Baby-friendly hospitals are a start. Baby-friendly hospitals aim to have a 100% breastfeeding rate, and they educate staff appropriately.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1 - </span></td> <td class="int-text">Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">2 - </span></td> <td class="int-text">Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">3 - </span></td> <td class="int-text">Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">4 - </span></td> <td class="int-text">Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">5 - </span></td> <td class="int-text">Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> 6 - </span></td> <td class="int-text">Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless <i>medically </i>indicated.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7 - </span></td> <td class="int-text">Practice “rooming in”-- allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8 - </span></td> <td class="int-text">Encourage breastfeeding on demand.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">9 - </span></td> <td class="int-text">Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">10 - </span></td> <td class="int-text">Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm going to add on steps 11-20:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11 - </span></td><td class="int-text">Limit interventions in labor to those that are truly <i>medically </i>necessary for the health of mother and baby.</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">12 - </span></td><td class="int-text">Do not circumcise baby boys or girls for non-medical reasons. </td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">13 - </span></td><td class="int-text">Encourage mothers and babies to attempt the "breast crawl" after delivery.</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">14 - </span></td><td class="int-text">Teach baby-wearing</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">15 - </span></td><td class="int-text">Provide safe co-sleeping guidelines</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> 16 - </span></td><td class="int-text">Arrange for lactation consultant follow-up home visits after discharge.</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">17 - </span></td><td class="int-text">Provide midwifery care for lower risk births.</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">18 - </span></td><td class="int-text">Provide prescriptions for breast pumps to be covered as durable medical equipment by insurance</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">19 - </span></td><td class="int-text">Encourage immediate and prolonged skin-to-skin contact, as well as a gentle post-birth environment.</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="int-text" valign="top" width="20"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">20 - </span></td><td class="int-text">Skip the hospital If you are low-risk, try to give birth at home.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you can do:</u> If you gave birth naturally or gently, tell your birth story. Support home birth. Support midwifery. Contact your local hospital and ask if they have been certified "baby-friendly" by the WHO. If not, ask why not. Drop off breastfeeding information at your local maternity ward and at your OB's office. Support the right to genital integrity and <a href="http://9davids.blogspot.com/2010/11/50-reasons-to-leave-it-alone.html">openly oppose routine infant circumcision</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Support the re-education of medical professionals</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span id="goog_233721385"></span><span id="goog_233721386"></span> </b><a href="http://www.opposingviews.com/attachments/0006/6873/ob-gyn2.gif?1278696332" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.opposingviews.com/attachments/0006/6873/ob-gyn2.gif?1278696332" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">The worst breastfeeding advice I have ever heard came out of the mouths of medical professionals. </div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"Only feed for 10 minutes on each side, any more is unnecessary." </li>
<li>"Only nurse every 3-4 hours, any more and he's using you as a pacifier."</li>
<li>"We have to give her formula until your milk comes in."</li>
<li>"You can't have a glass of wine if you're nursing."</li>
<li>"Pregnant women's milk is not good for older babies. You need to wean."</li>
<li>"After 6 months, there is no nutritional value to mother's milk; it's just for comfort."</li>
<li>"One bottle of formula won't hurt anything."</li>
<li>"Breast milk doesn't have enough vitamins. You need to give your baby vitamins unless you formula-feed."</li>
<li>"You can't breastfeed if you take_____ medicine" (without checking if it is actually true)</li>
<li>"Your baby isn't growing fast enough. You need to supplement with formula."</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sometimes, there is a real, medical reason to stop breastfeeding or supplement with formula. That is rare - but the majority of women trust their doctor over their own gut feeling or their own research. Medical professionals need to be educated on the facts. More breastfeeding relationships have been ruined by pediatricians, nurses and obstetricians than all the free cans of formula in the world. One bottle of formula *<a href="http://www.health-e-learning.com/articles/JustOneBottle.pdf">does</a>* harm a nursing relationship. Nursing on-demand really means on demand! It is so hard to question your child's doctors.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Every new breastfeeding mother I know has worried, "how do I know my baby is getting enough food?" especially because all newborns seem hungry all the time. One statement from a doctor about low percentiles or supplementation can be the beginning of the end of a healthy relationship. Doctors need to be educated about alternative ways to increase supply if there really is a problem - and need to realize that formula should be the last resort, not the first reaction.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you can do:</u> Talk to your pediatrician about breastfeeding. Invite local pediatricians to attend LLL meetings. Encourage your local hospital to adopt baby-friendly policies. Make sure every pregnant woman knows how to find accurate information. Bookmark KellyMom.com on her computer. While you're at it, send the link to your pediatrician. Write to the AAP whenever you hear a doctor saying something untrue about breastfeeding, to encourage further training.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Support nursing rooms in workplaces, schools, and public buildings</b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mytwogirls.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/nursing-room.jpg?w=460" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://mytwogirls.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/nursing-room.jpg?w=460" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nursing rooms are common in Malaysia. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Not all women are comfortable nursing in public. Nursing rooms are a wonderful amenity that should be as available as bathrooms. Many laws (but not all states) require that nursing mothers be provided a clean, safe and comfortable place to pump in the workplace....but this is rarely true. Most moms end up pumping in bathrooms, spare conference rooms, supply closets or cars. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Schools are especially key - not just for the teachers, but also for the students. Breastfeeding rates among teen mothers are appalling. Not all mothers are happily married stay-at-home mommies.... in fact, most aren't. Supporting nursing and pumping means supporting it in high schools, Walmart break rooms, and your local fast food joint.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you can do: </u> If you work, ask your HR department about space for nursing mothers. Contact your local high school and encourage the school to set aside a room for mothers to pump or nurse. Ask at your local government building.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Support breast milk donation</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span id="goog_233721366"></span><span id="goog_233721367"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">There are real, undeniable, and unavoidable reasons that breastfeeding may not be possible, including but not limited to:</div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Death or incapacity of the mother</li>
<li>Inability of the mother to produce sufficient milk, due to PCOS, insufficient glandular tissue, mastectomy, etc.</li>
<li>Adoption of a child (before re-lactation or if it is not possible)</li>
<li>Medical conditions that require unsafe medication to manage</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i415/HM4HB/HM4HBlogo350p.png" width="387" /></div><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"></ul><div style="text-align: left;">Babies should be able to drink human milk, even if their mothers can't provide that milk to them. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, "official" milk banks are extremely selective and extremely expensive. I contacted two when I had to stop breastfeeding, and I was told that milk was reserved for sick babies, and that even if they had some, the price for the milk was $3.50 an ounce and not covered by insurance. For a baby who eats 32 ounces a day, that is simply impossible - and we are a well-off family.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Between then and now, a new organization has come onto the forefront, Eats on Feets, which will connect nursing mothers with women like me, who need donated milk for our babies. It's still in its infancy, and private milk donation has a long way to go toward being socially acceptable again, but it is a place to begin. Right now, there is less milk than women who need it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you can do</u>: Donate any extra milk you have. Support Eats on Feets. Talk about breast milk donation, and challenge gut reactions that it's "icky." If your local EoF is active and has milk available, reach out and let folks know it's there for the taking.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Support media exposure of breastfeeding</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7-L-Fg7lWgQ?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7-L-Fg7lWgQ?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1977, Buffy explains breastfeeding to Big Bird.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bottles are everywhere. Every time you see a baby on TV, you see a bottle. Children's cartoons are filled with bottles, but nursing is taboo. This is an echo on nursing in public, and all the same reasons apply. Normalizing breastfeeding means that it has to make its way onto television.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you can do:</u> Contact PBS and ask them to run another special on television. Every time you see a baby bottle on TV, comment online at the station and on facebook/twitter. If you do see nursing on TV, send a compliment (I sent one to the director of "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369436/">Four Christmases</a>", which was the first movie I've ever seen with casual nursing and lots of breastfeeding mentions without being a movie about babies) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Oppose Unethical Marketing of Formula</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Haha, exception proves the rule, right?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sortacrunchy.net/.a/6a00e54fb985aa8833013488494bf3970c-800wi" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.sortacrunchy.net/.a/6a00e54fb985aa8833013488494bf3970c-800wi" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Yes, the whole point of this article is not to demonize formula or formula-feeding moms. <b>Demonize the mainstream formula companies as much as you want.</b> Go for it. Thanks to these jerks, babies all over the world die, and I fed my kid bugs, while they profit massively.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Formula companies advertise *everywhere*. Boobs don't get glossy ads in Parents' magazine. Formula companies are regulated in what they can say, but boy, do they squeeze close to that edge! "Closer than ever to breast milk" is such a misleading statement. I can make Coca-Cola "closer" to breast milk by adding DHA and probiotics. It doesn't make it close. Obviously, Similac is a better choice for your baby than Coke. BUT, the difference between formula and breast milk is as far the difference between formula and soda. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Especially abhorrant are the advertisements in developing countries, where a lack of access to clean drinking water makes formula truly life-threatening. If you don't have clean water, breast milk is vital to the survival of babies, yet companies like Nestle see opportunities for "new marketshare" and plaster with this messaging.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Even the "Breast is Best" campaign is tainted by formula marketing. It insinuates that perfect moms breastfeed, but who's perfect anyway? <b>Breast isn't just best - it's NORMAL</b>. It's what babies should eat, absent extenuating circumstances. Ads plastered on TV, in magazines, in doctors' offices and in hospitals make formula seem like the normal choice. Breast milk isn't a "nice option" like organic foods or designer baby clothes. It's necessary, normal, and appropriate. It's how babies were made to be fed. It's how moms were made.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you can do</u>: <a href="http://www.theconnectedmom.com/2010/11/put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is.html"> Boycott Nestle</a>. If you subscribe to any magazines that advertise formula, write to them and ask for "fair and balanced" advertising that encourages a one-to-one ratio of breastfeeding and formula references in their publication - or better yet, ask that they not advertise formula at all. If you see coupons or advertising at your doctors' office, ask your doctor why they are advertising formula. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>So, are you ready? This is the harder road, but it's the one that makes a difference. Invite your formula-feeding friends (if you have any) to join you in a fight for mothers' and babies' rights. There's a lot of us, and we can actually make something happen....if we don't spend our time pointing at each other.</b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-29485674929269793622010-12-16T06:22:00.000-08:002011-01-04T08:28:09.416-08:00My Baby Boy and Me<div class="MsoNormal"><i>I didn't write this. I did, however, print it and have it folded by my son's rocking recliner (forget the rocking chair!). When it's 4am and I've been up 3 times already, I read it. This time is so precious, and so fleeting.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2VgQo1XVPIaq6VX92UwDapYPi5fdw6W0AIHFvjsmzQ9hfGWXaTxtBmBt2CM0R-60_cfljcrB-UbySyx4rwLjeagSE75-F3s2y8JhMKkLaFesM0ZlmlTuulgZZEUWK0n4vs6k_BIuTS9M/s1600/Baby-Grandpa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2VgQo1XVPIaq6VX92UwDapYPi5fdw6W0AIHFvjsmzQ9hfGWXaTxtBmBt2CM0R-60_cfljcrB-UbySyx4rwLjeagSE75-F3s2y8JhMKkLaFesM0ZlmlTuulgZZEUWK0n4vs6k_BIuTS9M/s400/Baby-Grandpa.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David the 9th with his great-grandfather, David the 6th.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>My Baby Boy and Me</b><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It's 3am, they're all asleep and no one's here to see</div><div class="MsoNormal">As we rock slowly back and forth, My Baby Boy and Me.</div><div class="MsoNormal">His little head is feather light tucked up against my chin</div><div class="MsoNormal">I hold his tiny hand in mine and stroke his baby skin.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The house about us creaks and groans the clock hands creep around</div><div class="MsoNormal">He snuggles closer to me still and makes his baby sounds.</div><div class="MsoNormal">I love these quiet hours so much and cherish every one</div><div class="MsoNormal">store memories up inside my heart for lonely nights to come.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">All too soon he'll be grown up, his need for Mommy gone</div><div class="MsoNormal">but until then I still have time for kisses and for song.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Time for quiet hours like this with him cuddled in my arms</div><div class="MsoNormal">where I wish he'd always stay protected safe and warm.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And yet I know the day will come when his tiny little hand</div><div class="MsoNormal">will be much bigger than my own he'll grow to be a man.</div><div class="MsoNormal">But until then he's mine to love with no one here to see</div><div class="MsoNormal">as we rock slowly back and forth My Baby Boy and Me.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">by Dusty Fulbright</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-90631805858407080522010-12-14T13:21:00.000-08:002011-04-27T10:35:10.249-07:00Birth Plans and Birth RealitiesI'm was going to get my whole "birth story" up on here some day (my son's now 9 months old, hmmmm). Meanwhile, however, I was digging through some old files and I found my Birth Plan, and thought this might be a good way to tell it! <br />
<br />
I gave birth to David #9 at the birth center of a small community hospital, about an hour from my home. I picked the hospital very much on purpose - they are the only one in the state that allows water births, they don't have a nursery, they're "baby-friendly", and I absolutely loved my midwife. I wrote up a plan, and not everything went according to plan.<br />
<br />
Overall, I would give my birth experience an 8/10 (the baby gets 11 out of 10, I'm talking about the experience). I've heard the question asked often - "Does anyone have a birth plan for people who want to birth naturally in the hospital?" I do....but it's only a plan. If you want to be guaranteed the best shot at a natural birth, stay home. If, however, you do choose to have a hospital birth, I found this plan to be a pretty good one.<br />
<br />
Anyway, without further ado, here's the plan, and how it actually turned out.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1273/1394716412_2ce7aba8b5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1273/1394716412_2ce7aba8b5.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <i>The view from the birthing center at Newport Hospital. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Not taken by me, but I remember vividly being in labor and watching the sun rise like this over the bridge during a contraction.</i></span> </div><br />
<br />
<i><u><b>Arrival Plan</b></u><br />
</i> <br />
<i>• Can I have the room with the tub? Pretty please?</i><br />
<br />
<i>• Please assign a nurse who doesn’t think I’m insane for wanting a med-free birth</i><br />
<i><br />
• No IV, hep lock if necessary</i><br />
<i><br />
• Let Me Eat and Drink (and puke…yeah, I expect it)</i><br />
<i><br />
• I’d like to wear my own clothes</i><br />
<i><br />
• Intermittent monitoring (via Doppler if possible, please don’t strap me in bed)</i><br />
<br />
<b>What actually happened:</b><br />
My first sign of labor was my water breaking all over the bed at home at 37 weeks on the dot. We drove to the hospital, and I got the room with the tub, but never ended up using it. I was assigned a nurse who didn't think I was nuts. A saline lock was started 3 hours after I arrived - this was not a big deal. IV wasn't started until later. I was allowed to eat and drink whatever I wanted. I wore my own clothes for 14 hours, until the plan went off track. Intermittent monitoring was also permitted until pitocin was administered; after that it was continuous. <br />
<br />
<u><i><b>Labor Plan</b>:</i></u><br />
<i>I would prefer to avoid interventions, but we trust your medical opinion of what may be necessary. Please discuss any interventions you believe may be necessary with me and my husband.</i><br />
<i><br />
• I’m using hypnosis; please don’t try to talk to me during contractions (pressure waves). Dave or Mom can talk for me if it’s an emergency.</i><br />
<i><br />
• In hypnosis I am very susceptible to suggestion. Please be careful with what you say – avoid words like “pain” and use “pressure”.</i><br />
<i><br />
• Ahhh! Bright Light! I’d like to keep the lights low, if possible.</i><br />
<i><br />
• Play that funky music…. I’m bringing my iPod and speakers.</i><br />
<i><br />
• I know what my pain relief options are. I’ll ask for drugs if I want them. Promise. </i><br />
<i><br />
• Limit the number of internals, and don’t tell me how far I am dilated unless I ask.</i><br />
<i><br />
• I would like to birth my baby in the water.</i><br />
<i><br />
• If I can’t be in the tub, please let me choose the position that is most comfortable for me.</i><br />
<i><br />
• I would like to try “mother-directed pushing” rather than counting to 10.</i><br />
<i><br />
• Please let me know how I may reduce tearing.</i><br />
<i><br />
• I would prefer to tear rather than have an episiotomy.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<i> </i><b>What Actually Happened:</b><br />
For the first 14 hours, I got everything I asked for. We had a lovely playlist (5 hours long) going on the iPod, the lights were dim, nobody asked me if I wanted drugs, I was given a ball to bounce on, a bar to hold, and given free range of the hospital to walk. My progress wasn't checked (although they did ask).<br />
<br />
<br />
After 14 hours, I consented to be checked, thinking I would be 7-8cm....but I was 3cm dilated. My midwife was concerned about infection, given the extended length of time since my water had broken. She recommended that I be given pitocin - which meant that I was stuck in bed with a monitor on, and that water birth was no longer an option. After an hour with pitocin, I gave in to the epidural. The contractions had quickly gone from something I could handle to absolutely miserable, especially since I no longer had the ability to move around. My "unmedicated" birth was gone, I couldn't use the tub, and in many ways my will was broken. I know there are moms who can do pitocin without an epidural...I am not one of them.<br />
<br />
I will probably always wonder if Pitocin was truly necessary. In retrospect, I should have asked to use the tub to see if that would help me progress....but when your contractions are 2 minutes apart and you haven't slept in 24 hours, you don't see clearly. Ultimately, I trusted Kathy - she was the expert, and I trusted her professional opinion and her 20+ years of midwifery, including her own 5 natural births....but still, I question.<br />
<br />
When, eventually, I got to 8cm, my midwife turned the pitocin and the epidural off. I love her for that! She told me - and the nursing staff - not to push unless I had absolutely no choice, until my body told me "push or die!" The epidural wore off just as that feeling hit me. Well, first I threw up all over my husband, <b>then</b> I had to push like it was the end of the world.<br />
<br />
Just as the last of the epidural wore off, I had full feeling in my body and I was able to first sit up during contractions, then squat on the floor, holding the bed. For the first 40 minutes, all pushing was "mother-directed." I started to give up a little (it had been 28 hours), and Kathy did have me do 3 massive "count to ten" pushes until she saw David begin to crown.<br />
<br />
<br />
Then, she had me stop pushing. Hardest thing I've ever done! She had me stop pushing and hold, to let my body stretch. She instructed me to give tiny pushes even though I wanted to give it everything - and David gently wiggled out of me. <b>I actually had an orgasm.</b> Seriously. I laughed out loud, and it was the<b> best feeling ever</b>. Ten minutes after I gave birth, I asked my husband when we could do it again.<br />
<br />
The music was still playing, the lights were still low, and Kathy was wearing cowboy boots and jeans. No scary medical equipment, no shouting - peaceful and lovely, just how I had envisioned it. "I Just Haven't Met You Yet" played when David was born, and Rascal Flats "God Bless the Broken Road" was playing when I first held him. I'll never forget that! <br />
<br />
I didn't tear or need an episiotomy. YAY for stretchy lady-bits! Oh, and because I know I was concerned, especially with the Ulcerative Colitis....I didn't poop on my midwife. Heh.<i><br />
</i><br />
<b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZ397T4KQX6YnlQ-Bl9xmQkNrvguG_ZB8mzsW1lISwowkKLX-WO4y1feUPfpDfvPZoL9kSdGC5xB2NI0cmgvuBKtRjxahxd42wpSz2j69U4-FCEVdecbCXWYbzBb9zhyphenhyphenze14NYIcWfTE/s1600/25908_1311661125429_1647682962_853577_5702311_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZ397T4KQX6YnlQ-Bl9xmQkNrvguG_ZB8mzsW1lISwowkKLX-WO4y1feUPfpDfvPZoL9kSdGC5xB2NI0cmgvuBKtRjxahxd42wpSz2j69U4-FCEVdecbCXWYbzBb9zhyphenhyphenze14NYIcWfTE/s320/25908_1311661125429_1647682962_853577_5702311_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">David James IX, 7lbs even.</span><br />
</i></b></div><br />
<br />
<i><b><u>When the Baby is Born</u><br />
If mom and baby are healthy….</b><br />
• I would prefer that the baby be placed on my stomach immediately for skin-to-skin contact for at least 1 hour after birth.</i><br />
<i><br />
• I would like cord clamping to be delayed at least 5 minutes or until the cord stops pulsing.</i><br />
<i><br />
• I would like to deliver the placenta without pitocin or traction.</i><br />
<i><br />
• If I need stitches, please provide anesthetic (local or otherwise).</i><br />
<i><br />
• I would like to delay all newborn procedures – including weight and length checks- until after we have had the opportunity to breastfeed.</i><br />
<i><br />
• I would like to allow the “breast crawl” if possible.</i><br />
<i><br />
• Please don’t allow any visitors in until we say we’re ready for them.</i><br />
<i><br />
• We plan to exclusively breastfeed. Please do not offer pacifiers or formula.</i><br />
<i><br />
• Our pediatrician will handle the HepB vaccine; please do not administer.</i><br />
<i><br />
• Can we use liquid vitamin K instead of the injection?</i><br />
<i><br />
• Eye goop (antibiotics) should be delayed until after the first breastfeeding session.</i><br />
<i><br />
• Do not circumcise, and do not retract. (Click here for the <a href="http://9davids.blogspot.com/2010/11/50-reasons-to-leave-it-alone.html">50 reasons we didn't</a>)</i><br />
<i><br />
• The baby should be with Mom or Dad at all times for any procedure (including first bath).</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>What actually happened</b><i><b><br />
</b> </i><br />
David came out a little blue, so Kathy delayed clamping and held him below me until he pinked up - no suctioning or toweling. I'm convinced that delayed cord clamping saved him a trip to the NICU. He was placed on my stomach, and did the Breast Crawl and self-latched. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. We were allowed 30 minutes of uninterrupted bonding/breastfeeding time, before any weighing or cleaning was done.<br />
<br />
<br />
It would have been longer than 30 minutes...but my placenta wasn't moving. At 30 minutes, the nurses started to massage my stomach (OW), no dice. At 40 minutes, they started pitocin again....I disliked it as much the second time around! At 55 minutes, I started to bleed heavily and they called to prep the OR. At the very last minute, Kathy's partner and ex-husband Doug-the-OB asked me if I wanted him to try a manual removal, rather than a D and C.<br />
<br />
I didn't want to be separated from my baby and I didn't want to go under ansethesia, so I said yes. They cleared the room, my mom and husband were actually escorted out of the maternity ward. Kathy held my shoulders, and Doug reached up inside me and manually removed my placenta. My poor husband said he could hear me screaming from across the hospital. Hurt like hell....but given the choice, I would probably do it again to avoid the operating room.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs461.ash1/25359_103104746391159_100000749036991_83656_5408231_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs461.ash1/25359_103104746391159_100000749036991_83656_5408231_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Wow, that's a terrible picture...but a beautiful baby!!</span></i></div><br />
<br />
In the 24 hours that followed (we were released early by request, I felt great), there was never a mention of formula or pacifiers. We were visited by 3 lactation consultants! There was no question about the Hep B vaccine, and liquid vitamin K was supplied. No eye goop either, and no pressure to use it. They did ask us 4 times if we wanted to have David circumcised - but when we said <b>no</b>, our decision was met with relief and respect, depending on who asked.<br />
<br />
<br />
David was only away from my side for 10 minutes, held lovingly by his midwife while I showered and my husband was on his way back to the hospital with the carseat<i>. </i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs461.ash1/25359_103104746391159_100000749036991_83656_5408231_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs441.snc3/25359_103104669724500_100000749036991_83655_2034094_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs441.snc3/25359_103104669724500_100000749036991_83655_2034094_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><br />
<i><b>Summary</b><br />
</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
Overall, I believe my hospital experience was far superior to what many mainstream hospitals will offer a laboring woman. I was respected, my wishes were respected, and the hospital waited longer than most would to intervene - 14 hours after my waters released, and almost an hour on a retained placenta. I have since learned that most hospitals will only allow 4-6 hours of "no progress" and a hard rule of 30 minutes for placental expulsion.<br />
<br />
<br />
Also, even though not everything went according to "plan", we were still able to get back on track.<i> I had an orgasmic, medicated birth.</i> I've still never heard of another. I thought it was all or nothing, and again the world showed me another shade of gray! Next time around, I'd like to have a home birth, but I'm not unhappy with the experience I had. <br />
<br />
<br />
So, if you choose a hospital birth and things don't go as planned, don't give up on the whole thing! You can have a beautiful, amazing, mind-blowing experience in spite of it all. And, at the end of it all, I got to bring home the best (early) birthday present ever, blue eyes and all.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs558.snc3/30508_1387936311290_1618552921_907963_3648273_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs558.snc3/30508_1387936311290_1618552921_907963_3648273_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-9177677633889771262010-12-02T13:54:00.000-08:002010-12-02T14:08:45.541-08:00Moms with IBD - Part 2!Here we go - part 2! <a href="http://9davids.blogspot.com/2010/12/moms-with-ibd-all-about-meds.html">Part 1 is about medications</a>, and what's safe or not safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding. This section is not as specific, I'll try to go after it in a Q and A.<br />
<br />
Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. I'm a mommy with UC who likes to write stuff and put it on the internet. Please don't take my advice over the advice of someone who has a medical degree and does this for a living! Talk to your doctor before you do anything dumb.<br />
<br />
<b>I have UC/Crohn's. Can I have a baby?</b><br />
Yes. Lots and lots of women with IBD have kids, and have healthy, happy pregnancies. You need to take extra-special care of yourself during pregnancy and post-partum.<br />
<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Does UC/Crohn's affect fertility?</b><br />
Yes and no. If the disease is under control, then there should be no change in your ability to get pregnant. Active disease can affect fertility - mostly due to fever, anemia, inflammation, and general malaise. If you're flaring, try to get healthy before you try to have a baby.<br />
<br />
<b>What should I consider before trying to conceive?</b><br />
Evaluate your health with your GI doctor. Does he/she believe you are healthy enough to handle the physical and emotional stress? Discuss any drugs you may be on right now, and get off any of the nasty meds if you can.<br />
<br />
<b>Will I flare during pregnancy?</b><br />
Maybe, maybe not. About 25% of IBD mamas will flare during their pregnancy - 75% will stay totally healthy. If you do flare, it is most likely to happen in the middle to end of your second trimester, when your hormone levels peak. Keep an eye on your symptoms and address a possible flare <b>early. </b>Many treatments work for a mild flare but major flares are harder to control.<br />
<br />
<b>Do I have to see a high-risk OB?</b><br />
Not unless you have high-risk symptoms. Having IBD does not make you high risk. If your pregnancy is progressing in a healthy way (even if your disease isn't!), you can see whoever you are comfortable seeing. Despite being in the midst of a rough flare, I was lucky enough to be cared for by a wonderful midwife.<br />
<br />
<b>Do I have to have a c-section?</b><br />
No. If you have had surgery on your intestines, you may be given the option for a c-section, but remember - it's major surgery. Many GI and obstetrics professionals recommend vaginal birth, because it is easier on your system. <b> </b><br />
<br />
If you are flaring severely, there is a slight risk of fissures while pushing. The solution to this is not a c-section! The solution is mother-directed pushing; that is, rather than being told when to push and counting to 10, you push when you are comfortable doing so. Your body will tell you when you push, don't worry - and it will also tell you when <b>not</b> to push, which is very important. If you decide to have an epidural or other pain medication, ask that it be turned down or off before you start to push. That way, you can feel your body's reaction and control it.<br />
<br />
I know a few moms with IBD who have even had home births. Don't let your disease rob you of a beautiful birth experience. <br />
<br />
<b>I have to have a colonoscopy or endoscopy while pregnant. Is this safe?</b><br />
Colonoscopies, sigmoidoscopies and endoscopies should only be performed during pregnancy if medically necessary, and then, they should be performed after the middle of the second trimester. I had an unmedicated colonoscopy at 21 weeks, and I do not suggest it. Because my disease was in full swing, it hurt more than unmedicated childbirth! If you'd like to learn more about sedation options, <a href="http://www.sedationfacts.org/sedation-complications/sedation-pregnancy">click here</a>. I wish I'd researched them before instead of after.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>I'm used to the pain that comes with UC/Crohn's. How is labor different? Will I know I'm in labor?</b><br />
I can't answer the first question personally (my first sign of labor was my water breaking!) but other moms say to look for regularity of contractions. You'll feel your entire belly get hard, and contractions are timeable. I found that the pain of natural childbirth was really not very bad at all, compared to my worst UC pain. Pitocin contractions were a different story....<br />
<br />
<b>I'm flaring. Is my baby in danger?</b><br />
Probably not. If you are past the halfway point in your pregnancy, your body will usually choose to take care of the baby before it takes care of you. In your first trimester, a severe flare does carry a higher risk of miscarriage, because of malnutrition. If you are losing weight in pregnancy, this is a concern and you should talk to your GI doc about getting your flare under control.<br />
<br />
<b>I'm scared to take medicine. I won't even take Advil or have a beer! </b><br />
Me too. BUT, we're in a tough spot. It's about balancing risk. Your baby needs a healthy mom - before and after birth. Putting your own health at risk does not help the baby. Work with your doctor to find a solution. Do not hide from this disease. It will not go away on its own - you have to do something, if it's diet adjustment, supplements, or medicine.<br />
<br />
<b>Can I breastfeed my baby?</b><br />
Yes, unless the medications you need are unsafe for breastfeeding. Malnutrition can cause supply problems, so do the best you can to stay healthy while you are breastfeeding. If you end up on the nasty meds post-partum, you can look into milk donation. There's a great group on Facebook called "Eats on Feets" that can put you in touch with local donors.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Will I pass IBD on to my children?</b><br />
I don't know. Nobody does. There is clearly some genetic component to IBD, but it's not cut and dry. Breastfeeding cuts down on the risk of your baby getting IBD; so does healthy eating during childhood. Most people with IBD have a close relative with the disease, but it's not a straight corrolation. There is currently no genetic testing for IBD.<br />
<br />
<b>Any other advice?</b><br />
Be careful right after you have the baby. Most of the IBD moms I know flared, not during pregnancy, but right after - in the 6 weeks post-partum. Your hormones crash, you're not getting enough sleep, you're stressed and anxious, and you eat pizza 4 nights a week. Not a good combo!<br />
<br />
You are most vulnerable after you have your little one in your arms. Every new mother needs lots of support; you need even more. The advice to "sleep when the baby sleeps" is especially important to you. Don't live on take-out; eat healthy and carefully - make your friends and family cook for you. Take care of yourself. On the boards below, you'll hear story after story of IBD moms hospitalized when their babies were weeks old...including me! Take care of yourself.<br />
<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>How can I connect with other moms with UC and Crohns?</b><br />
<a href="http://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38">Healing Well's support<b> </b>group</a> has a lot of great moms and other resources.<br />
<a href="http://community.babycenter.com/groups/a19275/crohns_diseaseulcerative_colitis_mommies?">UC and Crohn's Mommies on BabyCenter</a><b></b><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#%21/group.php?gid=34916950908">Facebook</a> - Moms with Crohn's and UC<br />
<br />
<b>Good luck! Post comments! More than anything, be well and enjoy your baby. Don't let IBD diminish the beauty of pregnancy and birth for you. This is a wonderful, precious time. Love it.</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-68279580057247865112010-12-02T10:58:00.000-08:002011-03-25T07:45:59.498-07:00Moms with IBD: All About The MedsThis isn't as universal a post as my other stuff, but hopefully it will be helpful to those who find it relevant. This is directed at mothers or would-be mothers with Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's Disease.<br />
<br />
<br />
When I was pregnant with my son, I didn't realize how much my (then latent) Ulcerative Colitis would affect my pregnancy, delivery, and recovery. The information online is patchy at best, and every doctor seems to have differing opinions on how to treat UC or Crohn's in pregnant and breastfeeding patients, or in those who are trying to conceive. It was difficult to put everything together, and there is a lot of bad information out there. I was going to put this all in one post, but it's too much. This post is about medication. See <a href="http://9davids.blogspot.com/2010/12/moms-with-ibd-part-2.html">Part 2</a> about additional concerns during pregnancy and breastfeeding.<br />
<br />
<b> I'm not a doctor. This is the internet. Don't be stupid. Talk to your doctor about the best courses of treatment for your disease, and work with your doctor to assess the risks and benefits of any treatment.</b> <br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Q: "Should I take medicine for my IBD while pregnant/breastfeeding?"</span></i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">A: Work with your doctor(s). Flaring while pregnant or lactating isn't good. If you're pregnant, being malnourished can harm your baby. If you're lactating, it can severely impact your supply and your ability to be a good mommy. Don't neglect your own health because you're afraid of the medication. Try non-medical stuff, but don't end up in the hospital (like I did) because you fear the necessary medications.</span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.genital-warts-help.org/images/genital_warts_medicine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.genital-warts-help.org/images/genital_warts_medicine.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>ALL ABOUT THE MEDS</b></span><br />
I'll start here because it tends to be the thing weighing most on mommy minds. Let's start with the safest ones, then go up from there.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Safe(r) for Pregnant and Lactating Women</b></span><br />
<br />
<b>Probiotics </b><br />
If you're not already taking these, I highly<b> </b>suggest that you start. There have been numerous studies that show a strong positive relationship between IBD remission and the use of probiotics. You can start simple - Kefir (sold at your local grocery store) has high levels of "good" bacteria. Many folks make their own.<br />
<br />
For supplements, the "top dog" is VSL#3, which is available online. Alternatively, you can try Acidopholus, available at your local pharmacy or health food store. Get the highest count you can, and keep the pills refrigerated for longest life and potency. There are no known negative side effects to probiotics; even if they don't work for you, there is no risk in trying.<br />
<br />
<b>Vitamin D</b><br />
I have done a good amount of research, and found that vitamin D deficiency can also contribute to possible flares. I take 1000-2000IU of additional vitamin D in the summer and 3000-4000IU in the winter. If you spend a lot of time in the sun, or eat a good amount of foods containing soluble vitamin D, you may need less.<br />
<br />
<b>Fish Oil/Omega3</b><br />
Be careful to look for oils that are mercury-free. Omega-3 fatty acids can really help your digestive system stay in balance. <b> </b>If you're not flaring, you can get this from fish and some meats, but if you're flaring or pregnant some of these may be off limits. Fish Oils also provide DHA and EPA, which reduce inflammation and are also good for the baby's development.<br />
<br />
<b>Folic Acid</b><br />
You may not be able to take a "regular" prenatal vitamin (see below), but folic acid is of vital importance to your baby's health. Ideally, you should start taking it before you are pregnant.<br />
<br />
<b>Vitamin C</b><br />
Always a good choice. Again, there have been studies that suggest improvement in IBD with increased vitamin C, and it's also good for the baby (some studies have even shown a link between increased vitamin C and lower SIDS risks). It supports natural tissue growth and healing - you need healthy tissue and healing, right?<br />
<br />
<b>Potassium</b><br />
If you get cramps (muscle, stomach, whatever), potassium can really help. Flaring IBD can inhibit your body's natural processing of potassium, so you should pay special attention to this if you have diarrhea or vomiting as a regular symptom. You can either take a supplement (I did), drink potassium-rich drinks (I kept a bottle of Gatorade in the bathroom; every time I ended up in there, I'd drink it), or eat potassium-rich foods like bananas, avocados, and potatoes.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Prenatal Vitamins - proceed with caution.</b><br />
Many women with IBD are sensitive to the increased Iron in prenatal vitamins. <b> </b>You may want to consider an iron-free multivitamin or a combination of other vitamins rather than standard prenatals. There's a lot of (usually good) stuff packed into a prenatal. I personally found it better to take everything seperately than in one package. Less convenient, certainly, but easier on my system. I find that I am very sensitive to all of the metals (zinc, copper, sometimes magnesium).<br />
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<b>Dietary Stuff</b><br />
This could be really long, but I'll keep it short. Most doctors say diet doesn't have much to do with IBD. Pretty much every patient I know<b> </b><i>wildly</i> disagrees with their doctor on this matter. Frankly, I think it's ridiculous to ignore diet as a part of treatment! Personally, I'm very sensitive to sugar and white carbs, popcorn, nuts, and any oil but olive oil or butter. Other people have other things. One neat trick - right before you eat something, take your pulse. 20 minutes after eating (and relaxing), take your pulse again. If it's much higher, you may be sensitive to that food. Also notice if you feel flushed or anxious; these can also point to sensitivity. Eliminate or limit the "bad" foods and you'll feel better.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>PRESCRIPTION MEDS - LOW(ER) RISK</u></b></span><br />
<b>Many medications for UC and Crohn's are relatively safe during pregnancy (Category B-C). <u><br />
</u></b><br />
<b>Lowe</b><b>r risk doesn't mean no risk. </b>But, flaring during pregnancy is certainly something you want to avoid. You need to work with your doctor to determine what level of risk is acceptable to keep you healthy without causing risk to your baby. Healthy mommies make healthy babies. <br />
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<b>Mesalamine - Pregnancy Category B</b><br />
Rowasa, Asacol, Lialda, Pentasa, Apriso, etc.<br />
If you have UC and it affects only your lower colon, the least dangerous (and often most effective) of these are suppositories and enemas. Ick, yeah, but because they are applied directly to the site of inflammation, very little of the drug enters your bloodstream. Lialda has the highest dosage of mesalamine per pill, at 1.2g per tablet.<br />
<br />
Mesalamine is "bowel-specific", and even taken orally, only a small amount enters your bloodstream. It does cross the placenta, but studies have not proven any evidence of harm to the baby (note: evidence of harm does NOT mean evidence of NO harm). There have been a few studies that showed a slight risk of cleft palates, but they were not statistically significant.<br />
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Mesalamine does pass into breast milk; there is potential that it may cause loose stools in your breastfed infant if they are sensitive to the drug, but most babies do not have a problem with this. <br />
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If you are on Mesalamine as a maintenance drug, your doctor will likely suggest that you stay on it during your pregnancy and while breastfeeding.<br />
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<b>Sulfasalazine (</b>Azulfedine)<b>- Pregnancy Category B</b><br />
Similar to Mesalamine, this is considered another "ASA" med and has similar risks and benefits. It is often used if you (or your baby) are sensitive to mesalamine.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>PRESCRIPTION MEDS - MEDIUM RISK</b></u></span> <br />
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<b>Prednisone - Pregnancy Category B/C</b><br />
This is a love it, hate it drug. The side effects of prednisone are long, very real, and very serious - to you. Being on prednisone sucks. Flaring can suck more. Long-term prednisone use causes adrenal dependency (it's hard to get off of) and even short-term, it causes insomnia, irritability, swelling, weight gain, headaches, and a slew of other annoying, destructive, and frustrating <b></b>effects. <br />
<br />
That being said, it is probably the first thing your doctor will prescribe if you're suffering from an acute flare (bleeding a lot, really sick). It works. I sincerely hope you don't need this drug. If you do, try to get off it as quickly, safely, and carefully as you can. Prednisone should only be used in pregnancy if it is necessary, and if there is no safer alternative. Flaring is not good for you, or your baby, either. You need to carefully weigh the risks and benefits with your doctor before deciding if it is right for you. The more you have to take, and the longer you take it, the greater the risks. A 5mg dose is not the same as a 60mg dose. Your doctor should prescribe the lowest dose that will control your flare.<br />
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There is an increased risk of cleft palates in babies whose moms took prednisone during the first trimester. During the second and third trimester, there is an increased risk of low birth weight, and taking it in the third trimester has been linked to increased risk of preterm labor. Flaring IBD in the second and third trimester can also cause low birth weight and preterm labor - studies were not always able to determine if the cause was prednisone or IBD.<br />
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Prednisone can increase your risk of developing Gestational Diabetes. If you are undergoing long-term prednisone treatment, your doctor or midwife will probably have you do the glucose challenge testing several times during your pregnancy. Prednisone also decreases your ability to fight infection.<br />
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<i>It is extraordinarily dangerous to stop prednisone abruptly. If you are on it and want off, you need to work with your doctor to taper carefully. Just stopping prednisone can cause adrenal failure and even death.</i><br />
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Prednisone has not actually been assigned a pregnancy category by the FDA. Some brand names are B, others are C. <br />
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<b>Other Corticosteroids </b>(endocort, prednisolone, cortisone etc) all have similar side effects and risks to Prednisone, but they don't always work as well. Some can be prescribed in enema form, which carries the lowest risk but also the lowest reward.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>PRESCRIPTION MEDS: UNKNOWN RISK</u></b></span><br />
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<b>Anti TNF Inhibitors: Remicade, Humira, Cimzia, Tysabri (aka Biologics)</b><br />
These are scary drugs, big guns. If you are on them, or your doctor suggests going on them, you need to do your research. I am on Remicade, and it's right for me right now - but I'd be lying if I didn't say that it scares me to be on them. Nothing else works for me; it's either Remicade or remove my colon. Some people have chosen surgery over them. With Crohn's, it may be biologics or the hospital.<br />
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Anti-TNF inhibitors (all varieties) suppress your immune system. They all cross the placenta (when you're on them, so is your baby). There have been very few studies on how they affect babies. You will need to discuss this in depth with your doctor, ideally prior to becoming pregnant. We're delaying our try for the next baby for a few years, until I can get off Remicade, or until better studies are available.<br />
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There may be increased risk of birth defects, an increased risk of miscarriage (maybe because IBD affects your body, who knows), but ultimately, not enough studies have been done to determine if they are safe or not. I know a few people who have been on these during pregnancy and it worked out very well for them. Here are some things to check out:<br />
<br />
Remicade: <a href="http://www.otispregnancy.org/files/infliximab.pdf">http://www.otispregnancy.org/files/infliximab.pdf</a><br />
Humira: <a href="http://www.otispregnancy.org/files/adalimumab.pdf">http://www.otispregnancy.org/files/adalimumab.pdf</a><br />
<br />
On the plus side, both Humira and Remicade seem to be safe for breastfeeding. The molecules are huge and do not appear to transfer into breast milk.<br />
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<i><b>EDIT: New research is ongoing, and it appears that Remicade is relatively safe during pregnancy. I am trying to get copies of these studies, but I am told that the evidence is pretty clear, and that Remicade is being downgraded to category B. The risks in smaller studies appear to be lower than the risks of corticosteriod treatment (aka prednisone). It is important to note that no long-term studies have been done; of Remicade has been linked to higher risks of certain cancers, and it is unknown if these long-term risks also pass to babies.</b></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>PRESCRIPTION MEDS: VERY HIGH RISK</b></u></span><br />
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<b>Naltrexone - Category C/D (depends on brand). </b>Known to cause birth defects, smaller risk than the meds below. May cause PPD and may disturb bonding with your baby. Does pass into breast milk and may cause developmental delays, however, it may be possible to breastfeed on this drug. More research needs to be done. If Naltrexone is on your table of options, get to know Dr. Google. <br />
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<b>Mercaptopurine (6MP) - Category D:</b> It says right on the label that 6MP shouldn't be handled by women who might possibly be pregnant. There may be extreme circumstances that warrant its use, but I would not personally take it while pregnant or breastfeeding in any circumstance. It causes known fetal harm, including increased risk of miscarriage, birth defects and still birth. It is also NOT safe for breastfeeding. You will have to choose between breastfeeding and 6mp - I had to give up breastfeeding to stay healthy.<br />
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<b>Azathioprene </b>- Category D: Again, not safe for pregnancy or breastfeeding. Causes known deformities and increases risk of fetal death. Do not breastfeed if you are on this drug.<br />
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<b>Methotrexate - Category X: </b>REALLY bad. MTX is used to treat ectopic pregnancy and causes early abortions. <u>This is the "abortion pill" used in clinics.</u> <i>Do not take methotrexate while pregnant or breastfeeding under any circumstances. If your doctor suggests it, find another doctor immediately.</i><br />
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<b>Thalidomide </b>- Category X. Known to cause <b>extreme </b>birth defects. Not safe for breastfeeding or pregnancy. Also should not be used in the weeks prior to pregnancy, since it has a long life inside your body. If your doc wants you on this while pregnant, seriously question their medical license.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>OTHER MEDICATIONS</b></u></span><br />
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<b>Metronidazole (Flagyl) - Category B,</b> BUT.... the use of this drug in pregnancy is very controversial. The FDA has given it category B, which is a "safe-ish"category. There is evidence of toxicity in animals, but not in people. It definitely causes problems for baby mice, rabbits and rats, including cancer. It has not been shown to do harm to humans, but there is real cause for concern, and a campaign to change the pregnancy category by some doctors and patients. Breastfeeding is also not recommended on this drug - "pump and dump" for 24 hours after the last dose.<br />
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<b>Ciproflaxin (Cipro) - Category C. </b>Oddly enough, the research on Cipro shows less evidence of harm than Flagyl, but it's got a higher catogory. Who knows... anyway, breastfeeding is safe on Cipro. There is a slightly higher risk of joint problems in babies whose moms took Cipro.<br />
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<b>Sedation (for colonoscopies etc):</b> Every doctor seems to use different drugs for sedation during procedures. All of them have some risk for pregnant women. Lactating women should pump and dump for 24 hours following sedation. If you're going to undergo endoscopy or colonoscopy and want to be sedated (I'll write about that tomorrow), this is a good site to check out:<br />
<a href="http://www.sedationfacts.org/sedation-complications/sedation-pregnancy">http://www.sedationfacts.org/sedation-complications/sedation-pregnancy</a><br />
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<b>Pain Meds</b><br />
Technically, the only "safe" pain medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding is tylenol. Vicodin (hydrocodone) is sometimes prescribed if your pain gets out of control, but there are very real risks, including dependency and difficulty breathing in newborns, if taken close to delivery or for long periods of time. Other pain medications should be avoided. When my pain got really hard to handle, my doctor suggested that I take Tylenol PM - the PM is Benadryl. Really, look it up. Sleeping through pain is better than being awake for it, if you're the sort of person that gets sleepy on Benadryl. <br />
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<br />
<b> </b><br />
Phew! I think I covered most of the meds. Feel free to comment or add your information! I will happily edit any misinformation (again, NOT a doctor) and add anything you believe is relevant.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://9davids.blogspot.com/2010/12/moms-with-ibd-part-2.html">CLICK HERE FOR PART 2</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-68665139697523110872010-11-20T12:01:00.000-08:002010-12-02T13:58:32.938-08:00My new bumper stickerI have a new-for-me car. It has a virgin bumper. I've been in search of the perfect bumper sticker for about 2 months. Not an earth-shattering decision, obviously, but something I've been on the look-out for. I don't want to have 20 stickers on my nice, shiny car, but I would like one...just one.<br />
<br />
I considered something silly (<i>Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup), </i>but I really wanted to say something important and thought-provoking.<br />
<br />
I strongly considered an anti-circumcision bumper, but frankly, that's a really good way to start a nasty argument with most people, and I'm not sure a bumper-sticker slogan is really going to change most minds. I drive clients around in my car, and that's not the conversation I should be having with prospective customers, as a rule of thumb. Besides, there are so many other things that are important to me.<br />
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Breastfeeding...ok, maybe....religious tolerance, music in schools, peace, the importance of treating others with respect - how the heck do you boil all of that down to a 2" x 6" piece of plastic? I thought about having one made that said "<i>Babies are People Too</i>", but I care about people of all ages, and frankly, most folks don't treat adults all that well.<br />
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Then, yesterday morning, I saw it on my neighbor's car.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.northernsun.com/images/imagelarge/Children-Frederick-Douglass-Bumper-Sticker-%287041%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.northernsun.com/images/imagelarge/Children-Frederick-Douglass-Bumper-Sticker-%287041%29.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I have spent my $2 and it will be coming in shortly. There's the crux of my parenting and societal philosophy. Thank you, Mr. Douglass, for this small piece of your wisdom.<br />
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It is easier to support breastfeeding than pay for the health consequences of formula-feeding for the masses. You can help a mom breastfeed her baby - so much easier than treating asthma, auto-immune conditions, obesity and the rest.<br />
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It is easier to get up multiple times in a night with a newborn than treat an adult with anxiety and depression, whose earliest memories were of being left alone when they were crying for help.<br />
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It is easier to leave a penis alone, rather than repair a penile adhesion, restore a foreskin, or treat erectile dysfunction. It is easier to tell a child that you left the decision up to him, rather than apologize if he is not happy with your choice.<br />
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It is easier to use gentle discipline than deal with violence in an adult.<br />
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It is easier to teach tolerance to a child than reform a teenage bully.<br />
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It is easier to invest in education than in prison systems.<br />
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<b><br />
"Easier" does not mean easy. </b> None of those things are easy at the time - they're so hard that you might not be able to do them all, every time. That's ok - we're human. I've only been at it for 9 months, and I've already messed up on quite a few...that doesn't mean I'm going to give up trying. Ultimately, over a lifetime and in a society, it's easier than the alternative. <br />
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I'm trying to keep my long-term glasses on. I'm not trying to raise a "good baby" or an "obedient child." I am trying to raise a strong, courageous, compassionate man...who just happens to be 29 inches tall right now.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i54.tinypic.com/20rqjrd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i54.tinypic.com/20rqjrd.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-66794872281316401752010-11-17T11:59:00.000-08:002010-12-02T13:56:30.294-08:00Nurse-Ins are for EVERYONE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7lwCgCrwvCA/TN0aSiPBAQI/AAAAAAAAA2A/GeRNzUcRKnY/s640/149742_168543186502713_139782679378764_461770_4790493_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7lwCgCrwvCA/TN0aSiPBAQI/AAAAAAAAA2A/GeRNzUcRKnY/s640/149742_168543186502713_139782679378764_461770_4790493_n.jpg" width="490" /></a></div>Often, the only outspoken lactivists are mothers who are currently nursing their children, or have nursed them in the past. The lactivist community is strong, but insular - demonstrations are often nurse-ins, and understandably, conversation in lactivist groups tends toward the ins-and-outs of being a nursing mother.<br />
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Breastfeeding is more than a mom's issue. It's an everybody issue.<br />
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Right now, there's a controversy spreading on Facebook, across the internet, in cafes, stores and churches. Facebook has recently banned a number of users for posting photos of themselves breastfeeding. They have deleted an event for a national "Nurse-In", which calls for mothers to post breastfeeding pictures. Why?<br />
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<i><b>"It's obscene."</b></i><br />
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I cannot breastfeed my son. I'd love to post a picture of our brief nursing time, but alas, I didn't capture one at the time. My husband can't breastfeed, my mom is way past that, and I don't have any friends who are currently breastfeeding their kids. Nonetheless, I support nursing moms, and their right to feed their babies <b>wherever </b>and <b>whenever </b>the baby needs food.<br />
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So, why would I care?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>"OMG, I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR BOOBS!"</b></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.heatworld.com/images/95186_610x370_STD/2010/6/images/Kim_main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://www.heatworld.com/images/95186_610x370_STD/2010/6/images/Kim_main.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>N</b><b>ursing in public prevents angry, screaming babies</b>. I hate listening to babies cry hysterically. It's the worst sound in the world - give me fingernails on chalkboard any day. Every instinct in my body drives me to find the sound of the screaming child and fix it. Evolution or God made people that way - we react strongly to the sound of a distressed child, our hormone levels changing, anxiety activated. When I hear a truly upset baby, all I want to do is help. If the child is hungry, the solution is simple - <b>feed the baby.</b> I'd so much rather round the aisle in Target and see a nursing mom than have to hear her child screaming across the store.<br />
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Once upon a time, I traveled a lot for business. When you board a packed plane, there are a few things you dread having in the seat next to you.... a smelly person, an exceptionally large person, and above all else....please.... <i>not a baby!</i><br />
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Well, on one trip, I approached my seat and found a mother with her 18 month old son in her lap. It was a 4 hour flight, and I was dreading every minute. We took off, and he started to holler - ear pressure is no fun. His mom made eye contact with me, popped out her boob, latched him on, and smiled. I smiled back nervously...<i>did she just do what I think she did</i>? Her son looked up at me past his mom's nipple and grinned. I was a little shocked, but there was no screaming. We chatted on and off during the plane ride, and every time the little one got fussy, she nursed him and he relaxed. What a pleasure!<br />
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<b>That was my first real experience with nursing. </b> At 23 years old. What, you say? It's not a typo. I understood that, theoretically, women could breastfeed their children, but I had never actually seen it. For realz.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>"OMG, MY KID CAN SEE YOUR BOOBS!!" </b></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://liquidpaper.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/peekaboo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://liquidpaper.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/peekaboo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I was 23 years old the first time I saw a mother nurse her child. My mother breastfed me for a few weeks until her doctor told her that she didn't produce enough milk and I was going to starve. She believed him, and formula-fed me and my younger brothers from then on. Some of my earliest memories were of bottle-feeding my youngest brother.<br />
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I have dozens of cousins, and a large, close family. During my childhood in the 80s and 90s, either none of them breastfed their children - or if they did, they did so in secret, hidden away in the spare room with the coats. I never saw it, not once. My baby dolls came with bottles. Cartoons showed babies being fed with bottles. <b>I was raised to believe that's how babies are fed.</b> With a latex nipple on a tube.<br />
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So, when it came time for me to have children, I did research - and found out that breastfeeding is not just best, it's normal - it's how babies are supposed to eat. All the time. Babies were made to breastfeed. Breasts were made for making milk. Not filling out a bikini top. I knew it was the right thing to do....but I didn't know how to do it.<br />
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I took a class. I read books. Then it struck me - this is a normal thing to do. <b>Why did I have to take a class to learn how to do the "football hold"? </b> Why did I have to take a class to show me how to latch a baby on my breast? The answer is simple - I had never seen it, up close and personal. Is it any wonder how difficult breastfeeding was for me?<br />
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If you want to know why so many women attempt to breastfeed and fail, I would say to look there. They didn't learn how, when they were 10 and first learning how to care for infants. Why can't fathers support breastfeeding moms and give advice? They never saw it, in real life or on TV. <br />
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I later found out that 2 of my aunts did breastfeed my cousins. They did it in spare bedrooms or the bathroom, because they were told or led to believe that nursing was "indecent" and "obscene." So, at the multitude of gatherings, all I ever saw, and all that <b>millions of American children have ever seen</b>, was a mother either bottle-feeding or sneaking off quietly to some dark room, away from the action, to perform this "disgusting bodily function."<br />
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Here's the truth. Babies don't come with bottles in real life. They come with boobs. We are mammals, and mammals breastfeed their young. Duh.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>"OMG, CAN'T YOU COVER UP??" </b></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwFwlq_nI0rxNbwzdQNXdI_Y-du7xeswcZ9_a9BtyH7YcNLbvvRdSUjmfyJ6RmZXV-7u4Y4ewKPHQQgrCjLphhWk5tkKj6A8Sz3i8iGVJ5mkML7DkSWbWFmD8AjfSd94LauhFu0TfXA4/s1600/beanie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwFwlq_nI0rxNbwzdQNXdI_Y-du7xeswcZ9_a9BtyH7YcNLbvvRdSUjmfyJ6RmZXV-7u4Y4ewKPHQQgrCjLphhWk5tkKj6A8Sz3i8iGVJ5mkML7DkSWbWFmD8AjfSd94LauhFu0TfXA4/s320/beanie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
You don't ask the mother cat with kittens to "cover up" - right?<br />
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So, here I was, an expectant mommy, and I bought a nursing cover. I'm sorry, these things are stupid. If you're a breastfeeding dummy like me, nursing isn't "instinctual." It's hard! Getting the right latch is hard. Getting the kid on the boob is a challenge at first. Doing it blind is damn near impossible. Yeah, yeah, some nursing covers have a hole at the top you can look down through - but their <b>purpose</b> is to reduce sight of breastfeeding. Right?<br />
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Ok, let's see how a new mom, who has never actually <b>witnessed </b>a nursing mom do her thing (because it's gross and indecent and should be done in private only), attempt to get a proper latch with a cover.<br />
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<b><u>Instructions for ensuring a proper latch:</u></b><br />
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1- The first step to a proper latch on is getting baby to open WIDE! Brush baby's lips with your nipple to encourage him to open wide, as if yawning.<br />
<i> (Oh yeah, sure. I'll see his wide-open mouth with my x-ray vision. With a cover on, I'm going to brush her <b>nose </b>with my nipple, not her lips!)</i><br />
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2 - <b style="font-weight: 400;">O</b>nce baby's mouth is open wide, <i>quickly </i>pull him onto the breast by pulling the baby toward you with the arm that is holding him. Make sure you move the baby towards you, and not move yourself towards the baby.<br />
<i>(Sure, no problem. I'll just hope I'm pulling him in the right direction, and try to accomplish it one-handed, so I can keep this blanket in place....)</i><br />
<br />
3 -<i> </i>The baby's gums should completely bypass the nipple and cover approximately one inch of the areola behind the nipple. Make sure the baby's lips are everted. Some baby's will tighten or purse their lips, especially the lower one. If the lower lip is inverted (turned in), try simply pressing down on baby's chin to evert the inwardly turned lip. <br />
<i>(Forget x-ray vision.... now I need x-ray vision and a friggin MIRROR!)</i><br />
<br />
<i> </i>4 - Note how the baby's lips are correctly everted, and the mouth is open wide. Also notice how much breast tissue has been taken in, almost the entire areola is in the baby's mouth. <br />
<i>(Hmmm... can't see that areola through the blanket, can I?)</i><br />
<br />
<i> </i>That is mostly a "beginning" problem... what about later on?<br />
<br />
<br />
I absolutely love this YouTube Video of an older baby's reaction to being covered...<br />
<br />
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<br />
See? Not always easy.<br />
<br />
<br />
Plus, returning to my point above, if nursing moms always cover up, little boys and girls have to learn about breastfeeding from a BOOK. <br />
<br />
Babies are people too. They deserve to eat when they're hungry. and they deserve to enjoy their meals without a blanket over their heads. Pretty simple stuff.<br />
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<br />
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>"OMG, CAN'T YOU JUST FEED IT PUMPED MILK IN A BOTTLE??"</b></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRnKteE27u2GxXwmWH7le_-bdg5fe2uqeqqlol6JL9NV58f1PdbLg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRnKteE27u2GxXwmWH7le_-bdg5fe2uqeqqlol6JL9NV58f1PdbLg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Sigh. </i>Again, a dumb idea from someone who's either never breastfed, or someone who never had problems.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">First, when babies are super-little, bottle-feeding can cause "nipple confusion". Just like it takes a mom some time to figure out how to breastfeed correctly, it takes babies some time. Artificial nipples work differently than boobs. They have one hole, boobs have multiple holes. Breastmilk flows at different rates during a feeding, bottles flow at only one speed - fast! Babies have to work at the boob. They just have to open their mouths with a bottle. <b>If you introduce a bottle before a baby is fully established with breastfeeding, you can actually sabotage the breastfeeding relationship. </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Not all babies will take a bottle, either. Choice #1 - food from the source, at the right temperature, starting out light and progressing to a thick, sweet dessert as the meal progresses. Great company, skin-to-skin contact, and just the right fit. Choice #2, your meal all mixed up, shooting out fast, either too hot or too cold. Sure, it's still a steak dinner with cheesecake, but you're getting it through the drive-through.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Not all moms have a strong enough supply to pump and feed their baby the old-fashioned way. To pull this off, she has to make enough food for breakfast and lunch at the same time, but still have enough in the "fridge" for lunch later on. Pumping's not easy, either - you don't get the same amount from a machine as you do from a baby.<br />
<br />
Even if Mom does become a pumping pro, it can change her supply to the other side of things, with engorgement and overproduction. If you think nursing in public is gross, just wait till she whips out the pump! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">NEWS FLASH: Breast milk is not shelf-stable. It's milk. Hello. It has to be <b>refrigerated </b>once it's been pumped out. So, if Mom's away from a fridge for longer than a couple hours, it's the boob or nothing. And we're back to the screaming baby.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>"CAN'T YOU JUST GO IN THE BATHROOM??"</b></u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Right.<br />
'Cause that's a nice, safe, clean and comfortable place to enjoy a meal. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Did we forget? Babies are people, too.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://files.sharenator.com/breastfeeding_posters_and_funny_stuff-s580x463-99487-580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://files.sharenator.com/breastfeeding_posters_and_funny_stuff-s580x463-99487-580.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span id="goog_1983758384"></span><span id="goog_1983758385"></span><a href="http://files.sharenator.com/breastfeeding_posters_and_funny_stuff-s580x463-99487-580.jpg"></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>So, nursing moms, keep it up. Whip it out. <b> </b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Feed your babies.</i></span><br />
<br />
Nurse in public. In church. At the store, in an airplane, in the playground, at the mall, at Christmas parties and birthday celebrations, in line for Santa, at a restaurant. You're doing what's best for your baby, absolutely.<br />
<br />
Just as important, you're showing that little girl at the next table over how to do it right. You're teaching your nephew how to become a supportive father. You're reducing noise pollution. You're improving the public health.<br />
<br />
<b>You're saving the world, and I'm more than happy to hold your cape.</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://image.spreadshirt.net/image-server/image/composition/16940609/view/1/producttypecolor/1/type/png/width/190/height/190/i-make-milk-what-s-your-super-power_design.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://image.spreadshirt.net/image-server/image/composition/16940609/view/1/producttypecolor/1/type/png/width/190/height/190/i-make-milk-what-s-your-super-power_design.png" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com111tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-64986520311885965742010-11-12T11:43:00.000-08:002010-12-15T06:06:54.977-08:00Advice for New MommiesI spend time on a couple of Mommy Boards, and I asked for a few pearls of wisdom from the groups for a friend who is expecting in a few weeks. I figured I'd post their responses here, for the world (or my tiny piece of it anyway) to enjoy.<br />
<br />
Credit for the silly baby instructions goes to "Safe Baby Handling Tricks" by David and Kelly Sopp. :) Buy the whole book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Safe-Baby-Handling-Tips-David/dp/0762424915">here.</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hemmy.net/images/interesting/babyinstructions08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.hemmy.net/images/interesting/babyinstructions08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3208/2955304172_5bcaf7d40a_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<div style="color: black;"><i>"Every baby is different and what works for one won't always work for another. Follow your instincts!"</i></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;">"Laundry/dishes/vacuuming/housework can all wait. Don't feel bad if you don't get off the couch all day if that's what you need to do for you and baby that day, and don't try to stay up late to make up work that "should have" gotten done. Only worry about taking care of yourself and your baby. Get help if you can, from your husband, family, friends, or a postpartum doula."</div><div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black;"><i>"I wish someone had told me how amazing BabyWearing was and that I should get a stretchy wrap to start with from the beginning :) I didn't get one until finding this board and my son was 5 weeks old at that time. I was so excited to have 2 hands when I was wearing him!"</i></div><i> </i><br />
<div class="PostContentArea">"I wish that someone would have told me that in the beginning breastfeeding is pretty much non-stop and that it is OK to be couch bound or bed bound for the first few weeks...however this is the same reason that I wish I had known about using a wrap- I was able to breastfeed and move about a bit- which felt a bit freeing after 5 weeks of being couch bound :)"<br />
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<i>"Trust your instincts; nobody knows your baby better than you do."</i><br />
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"Trust your instincts and enjoy your baby. So many people offer so much advice and they are only tiny for a short time...enjoy it and don't worry about when your baby is sleeping through the night or if he is spoiled. Smile and nod at everyone's advice...or better yet...say "Thanks but no thanks" unless you ask."<br />
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<i>"It goes way too quickly - don't wish your child's life away (i.e. I can't wait for him to smile, roll, etc). Savor every minute that you have - enjoy the now."</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.urbansamurai.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.urbansamurai.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/baby.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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"I wish someone had told me to do whatever I needed to to calm a fussy baby....when he was itty bitty and crying all night, I thought it was "cheating" to put him in the swing and I never considered wearing him. I thought I <b>should </b>be able to comfort him by rocking / singing to / walking / bouncing him. That seems so incredibly silly to me now, I can't imagine why I thought that."<br />
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<i>"Spend the first few days as a family. People will come over and want to visit, but your priority needs to be bonding with that baby! I see so many new moms exhausted (even more than normal) because all these people come over and watch the baby sleep and then guess who is not sleeping all night because they need to eat? I encourage them to give people a timeline, and other than that couple of "visiting hours' nobody can come over!"</i><br />
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"Ignore the clock. Cover them up if you have to. Sleep at 4pm, watch a movie at 2am, do whatever works. Clocks are not your friends right now and they will probably only frustrate you. Feed the baby when she's hungry, try to sleep when you can, no matter what time it is."<br />
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<i>"Do whatever is right for you and your family. If that means sleeping with a baby on your chest or choosing to formula feed vs. breastfeeding. Do whatever you need to do to survive. </i>"<br />
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"If baby is crying, try a hair dryer, it's the only way I can get my son to take a nap. I wish I learned about it earlier. Wear your baby as much as possible if you want to get things done around the house or if baby won't nap. For a while, my son would only nap if I wore him."<br />
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<i> "Family and friends mean well. But don't let them make you second guess yourself. And if it becomes too overwhelming having people around ask them to leave for a while. Even if they're staying with you. Send them out grocery shopping or to see a movie."</i><br />
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"Sleep when they sleep, don't wake them up to feed them, let them sleep, get out of the house if you want to, ignore advice of others if you want to, listen to the doctor (call even if you think it might be a silly question), ask questions (even if you think they are silly), allow others to help you (watch the baby, make dinner, clean), let your husband be a part of it all, take lots of pictures, and fill out that baby book!"<br />
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<i>"Trust your instincts and do what feels right. The first couple weeks (and months for that matter) are a battle to find a routine but it does get better. People mean well, but that doesn't make them right."</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hemmy.net/images/interesting/babyinstructions21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.hemmy.net/images/interesting/babyinstructions21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/feed-baby-picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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"The quicker you get the baby in the night, the quicker they fall back asleep after feeding."<br />
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<i>"Nap when the baby naps. Use this time to catch up on sleep, tv, or whatever that relaxes you. Don't be tempted to do chores!"</i></div><div class="PostContentArea"><br />
</div><div class="PostContentArea">"Don't be afraid to tell people NOT to come over. When my daughter was born I was so overwhelmed by people coming over to visit her/us. They all meant well but it was just more trouble than it was worth with everything else going on...I'll change that next time for sure!" </div><div class="PostContentArea"><br />
<i>"Sleep when you can, if you don't get anything done around the house for 2 weeks oh well. You have a new baby and its mommy and baby bonding time. Don't be afraid to ask for help from your husband, in laws or friends. Trust me, my husband knew more about my pump and my boobs then he would have ever wanted to know."</i><br />
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"Try new things with baby to calm them, going outside (weather permitting) will not hurt them, it's good to get fresh air."<br />
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<i>"Listen to what others say, but pick and choose the advice you want to use."</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.urdown.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/baby-instructions-for-new-moms-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.urdown.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/baby-instructions-for-new-moms-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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"Try not to stress too much over breastfeeding, it's not good for your supply and the baby can feel it. Relax and go slow, and you will eventually get it. I will be the first to say... Its not easy. That said it's also not for everyone. Don't feel guilty about going to formula of you just can't do it. Whats important is that baby is getting enough to eat."<br />
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<div class="PostContentArea"><i>"If you can, relax and assume that babies know what to do and take your baby's lead on everything. As long as s/he's eating, peeing/pooping, and growing, s/he's fine. Try not to compare to the "average" baby or babies you know."</i><br />
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"Make sure you always have a drink for yourself, a source of entertainment, and a burp cloth within arm's reach and that your position is comfy before starting to breastfeed."<br />
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<i>"Point the penis down before you secure the diaper. And always keep in mind that an undiapered boy is a loaded weapon. Oh, and move from NB to size 1 diapers when your baby starts peeing more volume even if they still fit in NB- I swear my son started sleeping longer after that change just from the added absorbency."</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hemmy.net/images/interesting/babyinstructions18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.hemmy.net/images/interesting/babyinstructions18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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"Try to put the baby down for a nap when s/he is drowsy or showing signs of fatigue not just when s/he is completely out. Doesn't always work, but saves a ton of time for you when it does."<br />
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<i>"Get out of the house early and often for your own mental health. It's an undertaking the first few times but gets easier and easier. Take a ton of pictures and enjoy every stage because the time goes SO fast!</i>"<br />
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"Don't give a second thought to what you or your baby "should" be doing. Do whatever works for you and screw what everyone else is saying. Don't be afraid to stand up for what you are doing. It's <i>your</i> baby, not your mom's, not your sister's, not your aunt's, not your grandma's, not your best friend's. So do what you want, not what they want."<br />
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<i>"The first 6 weeks (sometimes more) are pure survival. Allow yourself to let go of the outside responsibilities like cleaning the house and keeping on top of the laundry, and don't feel guilty about it. For the first month and a half or so, the only time I ever did laundry was when my nursing bras and tanks needed to be washed. Basically my laundry during that time consisted of the same nursing bras/tanks, yoga pants, and hoodies. My husband was on his own. And we ordered in food a majority of the time. There was no cooking. I felt horribly guilty about it at the time, but now I wish I would have given myself permission to just let it all go! I certainly won't be worried about that crap this time around."</i><br />
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"If you have someone over that you trust don't be afraid to let them love on the baby for a bit while you go shower, take a nap, use the bathroom, or just take sometime to yourself. Some of my favorite visitors were those that I didn't feel like I needed to entertain. When my best friend came over it was so nice handing her the baby and saying "I'm going to jump in the shower, be back in 20 mins."<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>"Even though it seems so hard at first, I promise it does get better. :)"</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hemmy.net/images/interesting/babyinstructions24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.hemmy.net/images/interesting/babyinstructions24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="PostContentArea"></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-41690275411380881192010-11-11T14:28:00.000-08:002010-12-15T05:54:12.615-08:00The "Lemonade" of Formula FeedingSometimes, life gives you lemons. When it comes to breastfeeding David the 9th, I got a <a href="http://9davids.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-breastfeeding-story.html">big old pile of lemons</a>. I breastfed him for 2 months, but had to stop due to my own life-threatening medical issues.<br />
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If I could control the universe, I would still be breastfeeding my son. Even with all these "honorable mentions." I wanted to breastfeed him SO badly that I ended up in the hospital! I will probably always feel guilty that my health cost my son and I our breastfeeding relationship, and if I could, I would be breastfeeding now, despite its challenges. <br />
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This is <u><b>not</b></u> a list of "10 reasons not to breastfeed", although it could be read that way. I try to live by that silly saying, "if life gives you lemons, make lemonade" - this list is my lemonade. <br />
<br />
It is meant to be lemonade for other women like me who constantly feel guilt or sadness over feeding woes, to not just come to terms with formula-feeding, but enjoy what we have. I hope breastfeeding moms can appreciate this in the spirit in which it was written. My next post will be all about why I support nursing in public and why I'm boycotting Nestle. I plan to breastfeed my next child, if my body will allow it.<br />
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<i>Also - because the subject has come up - I contacted 2 milk banks and found that not only was the milk $3-$4 per ounce, it was only available to the sickest preemies. My son is healthy, and I did not qualify. I also posted on MilkShare's board, and sent money for "shipping" to someone who never sent me any milk. That scared me off of milk donation from strangers; if I couldn't trust someone on the board not to steal my money, how could I trust them not to do drugs, drink, take medicines, or eat onions and garlic? I don't have any friends or family who are lactating. In addition to better support for nursing moms, I would deeply appreciate open access to clean, safe, donated breast milk. I would <b>much </b>rather be using that than formula. </i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/crave/summer_lemonade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/crave/summer_lemonade.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>The Lemonade of Formula Feeding</b><br />
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We all know that “Breast is Best”, but for some women, myself included, it’s either not possible or not appropriate, and we instead feed our babies formula. The benefits of breast milk are well-documented, there’s a ton of information online about the benefits, and I am in no way underplaying them. I support breastfeeding moms.<br />
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Nonetheless, when I stopped breastfeeding, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are real plusses to formula feeding for my family – and while they might not stack up, they certainly are worth honorable mention. <br />
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<i>A note – many of these benefits can be achieved with pumped breast milk, and should be if it is possible. A little bit of breast milk is better than none at all; if you can feed your baby breast milk, please do!</i><br />
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<b>1. I know exactly how much food my son is getting</b>.<br />
<br />
I constantly struggled with supply while breastfeeding. My son always seemed hungry, and there was no easy way for me to tell if he was getting “enough”. I counted wet and dirty diapers, but I never felt confident that he was getting enough food. Pumping yielded 1-2oz per breast, but I was regularly told that pumping was a poor indicator of production. Once a week, we went to the doctor for a weigh-in, but these results were varied. I tried every method known to raise my supply with no luck (herbs and galactalogs and 9-hour pumping/nursing sessions, you name it). I probably had these supply problems because of my serious health issues.<br />
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With formula, I know if he is getting enough to eat; there is no fear of dehydration or poor weight gain due to poor supply. I know if he’s only had 2oz and will be hungry again soon, or if he’s filled up and will be good for a while.<br />
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<b>2. Daddy can feed the baby. So can anyone else.</b><br />
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My husband was happy when I stopped breastfeeding for a number of reasons (mostly because I didn't die), but one of the biggest was that he was able to feed our son. When we switched to formula, we went to a split-night system; from 2am to sunrise, he was the “primary parent”. I got to catch up on sleep, and he was in charge. No handing baby to mama with “he’s hungry”; there was no excuse. He became a better parent and a better husband.<br />
<br />
Feeding my son is now a community activity. He has been fed by his great-grandfather, his 8-year-old cousin, and our minister, and it is a joyful experience for everyone. It is absolutely a bonding experience – not one that is restricted to just mommy.<br />
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<b>3. I can feed my baby anywhere.</b><br />
<br />
I support nursing in public - anywhere. Unfortunately, not everyone else does (though they should, prudish morons). I can happily feed my son in a restaurant, park, church, or anywhere else, and the only funny looks I get are from people who think formula is evil. I did nurse in public while I was breastfeeding, but I was always (unfairly) uncomfortable exposing my breasts for the world to see, even if it was only an inch. The bias against breastfeeding isn’t fair….but it’s nice not to have to deal with it.<br />
<br />
It may seem a small benefit, but I can also feed my son in a moving car (while someone else drives, obviously). This may seem trivial, but when you’re 30 minutes from your destination and stuck in traffic, it is a lifesaver! I can mix up a bottle in the middle of a store without looking for a place to set up. It is very convenient.<br />
<br />
<b>4. I can eat or drink whatever I want. I can take whatever medicines I need to take.</b><br />
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If my son develops a food sensitivity or allergy, I will simply switch to a different formula. If I want to have a margarita night with the girls, I can, without fear of damaging my baby or having to ‘pump and dump’.<br />
Most importantly for me, I can take the medicines I need to take to stay healthy. Not all medicine is safe for breastfeeding mothers, and there is not always an adequate alternative (in my case, I am on 6-mercaptopurine, methotrexate and Remicade, category X drugs that pregnant women can't even touch).<br />
<br />
Mom’s health is more important than her boobs. Period.<br />
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<b>5. I have more freedom.</b><br />
<br />
I can work outside of the home, and I don’t have to take 3 pumping breaks in my car. I can head out to the grocery store to pick up eggs without looking at the clock. My husband and I can go on a “date night” and leave baby with his doting Grammy without worrying about pumping or supply. <br />
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<b>6. My boobs don’t hurt.</b><br />
<br />
I read everywhere during my pregnancy, “if breastfeeding hurts, you’re doing it wrong.” Then I actually did it, and found out that the books were lying. Breastfeeding was excruciatingly painful. My nipples bled, blistered, and literally fell apart – even though our latch was fine. My breasts would become engorged and ache. I had bouts with thrush, clogged ducts and mastitis. It wasn’t always painful – I had a lovely 2 week stint before my hospital stay where I didn’t cry during feedings – but I spent 2 months in hell, literally screaming when he first latched on, dreading his hunger cries.<br />
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There is no pain in feeding formula (unless you count the emotional pain, of which I've had a LOT). None. I was delighted to see my son’s first teeth, not terrified!<br />
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<b>7. My boobs don’t leak.</b><br />
<br />
I made a quick trip to the store while breastfeeding. A baby cried in the next aisle over, and I soaked through my nursing pads and straight through my shirt. I was horrified, and my husband told me not to worry at all… it really was not a big deal. <br />
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I’m still glad I don’t have to worry about leaking through my white shirt during my next performance of “Messiah.” I also don’t leak anymore during sex.<br />
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<b>8. My son sleeps longer and better.</b><br />
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There. I said it. I know, research shows that on average, breastfed and formula-fed babies sleep the same, but <i>my </i>baby slept better with a full belly of formula. Again, this was probably because of my supply problems, which most moms can work through with proper support.<br />
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The first day that my son was exclusively formula-fed, he slept through the night. 8pm until 6am. Previously, he was up every 2 hours like clockwork. We thought it was a fluke. It was not – unless he is teething, in a growth spurt, or otherwise upset, he sleeps “like a baby”, and that phrase is no longer a sick joke. So – not only does he sleep better, but obviously so do his parents!<br />
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<b>9. Formula’s not that expensive. For me, it was cheaper than breastfeeding.</b><br />
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Luckily, my son isn’t a picky eater. He likes Target Up & Up Organic formula, which costs $15 per can when you buy in bulk. Each can makes about a week’s worth of bottles, for a cost of around $2 a day. We spent $30 on bottles, for a total annual expense of $760, or less than my daily visit to Starbucks. If you’re eligible for WIC, formula is even less expensive (though in my opinion WIC should also cover <u><b>any and all</b></u> breastfeeding expenses and it is a <b>travesty </b>that they do not).<br />
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Conversely, I spent $350 on a breast pump, $50 on the special bottles that work with it, $600 on 3 visits to a lactation consultant, $90 on prescriptions for thrush and mastitis, $50 on lanolin creams and special ice packs, $30 on a breastfeeding pillow, and $200 on nursing bras and tops, for a whopping total of $1360. I spent this in 2 months.<br />
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<b>10. I am a happier, healthier, and better mother.</b><br />
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This is the biggest and most important benefit for me. Instead of being sleep-deprived, in pain, and anxious, I am confidently enjoying being a mother. I do not dread feeding my son; I look forward to it. I am healthy, taking the medicines my body needs to be strong. I am enjoying him more, and I am a better mother for it. I thank formula for saving my life, and for improving its quality.<br />
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<i style="color: blue;"><b>UPDATE: I have reached out (thanks to the wonderful commentators on this blog) to my local Eats on Feets organization, asking for donor milk. No bites yet, but I am hopeful. Huge thanks to Emma Kwasnica for her hard work in creating this new organization - I look eagerly forward to seeing this take off. </b></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-51618024890450965972010-11-10T11:50:00.000-08:002011-04-29T08:47:23.519-07:0050 Reasons to Leave It AloneYour son's penis, that is.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.smokescreendesign.com/images/Man-Leonardo-da-Vinci.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://www.smokescreendesign.com/images/Man-Leonardo-da-Vinci.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>DaVinci's "Vitruvian Man" - Did you ever notice that he has his whole penis?</i></div><br />
I know, talking about baby penises seems like a strange choice for a blog post. I used to think that penises came in two varieties, circumcised and uncircumcised....but education is a powerful thing. Now, I know that they only come in one style - <b><span style="color: red;">Natural </span></b>- and we, as parents, choose to alter what God or Nature or Evolution or The Great Spaghetti Monster created. <br />
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<i>Why am I calling "uncircumcised" penises "<b>natural</b>"? Most of the "intactivist" culture uses the word "Intact", which is also accurate, but really, an uncircumcised penis is exactly that - natural. </i><br />
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<i>Just like women without breast implants have "natural" boobs, or a person has their "natural" nose before a nose job. It's the way nature made it - therefore, a natural penis. Does that mean a circumcised penis is unnatural? Yes, it does. </i><br />
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<i>I do want to note that<b> I'm not anti-circumcision</b>. If an adult man wants to modify his body, that is his choice and I support it - just as I would support a woman who wanted <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labiaplasty">labiaplasty</a>, or anyone who wanted to stretch their earlobes or tattoo their body. I am opposed to the <b>routine circumcision of infants for non-medical reasons</b>.<br />
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So, here are 50 reasons to leave your son's penis alone and not let a doctor cut it up.<br />
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1.) It's his.<br />
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2.) I've never met a man who wanted "less" penis when he was old enough to care. Men tend to like their penises just the way they are.<br />
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3.) You can change your mind. It's not possible to "un-circumcise", although there are men who have chosen to <a href="http://tlctugger.com/">restore their foreskin</a> later in life. If you're not sure, don't decide at all. It's a non-decision. :)<br />
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4.) There is <a href="http://www.intactamerica.org/resources/decision">no medical reason</a> to do it routinely. <br />
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5.) Circumcision isn't the majority for newborns anymore. According to the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/health/research/17circ.html">New York Times</a>, the infant circumcision rate is down to 32%. That means 68% of your son's locker room will likely have natural penises. If you circumcise, he will probably ask you why<b> he's</b> different from his buddies.<br />
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6.) Natural penises are <a href="http://pediatrics.about.com/od/weeklyquestion/a/04_penis_care.htm">easier to take care of </a>during the diaper-changing years. Just wipe it like a finger. No retracting, no mess or fuss. Compare that to having to care for an <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmi9fVRLotMwDPMq7mJCldueGakrl3XCMkYCFtnbOjGsu7Y67ahppBUIlSYEh1KMlDVDfxnsvjf4RlgIWnSdsZxbawQ5SLVw18npcl78nKKqhcQhML8gkd9bsTxe280e14fPHKykEY5nk/s320/15too-late.jpg">open wound in a diaper</a>.<br />
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7.) You wouldn't cut your baby girl's genitals. In fact, <a href="http://www.mgmbill.org/usfgmlaw.htm">it's illegal </a>- even a "nick" is illegal. Male circumcision is a lot more involved than a nick!<br />
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8.) Many doctors and nurses <a href="http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/">refuse to perform the procedure</a> because it violates the Hippocratic Oath - First, Do No Harm.<br />
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9.) It hurts. A lot. Really. Don't believe me? <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDuDhkiDdns">Watch a video</a>. With the sound up, please. If you can't watch the whole thing, can you really ask your newborn to go through it?<br />
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10.) Babies can't be properly <a href="http://www.cirp.org/library/pain/">anesthetized</a>. An older child or adult would be <a href="http://en.allexperts.com/q/Urology-Male-issues-989/Adult-circumcision.htm">given anesthesia </a>and strong pain medication after any kind of operation, especially one on their genitals. Babies can't have the same level of anesthesia and after-care medicine that an older child or an adult would receive.<br />
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11.) Did you know? <a href="http://chanceforchange.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/fact-checking-routine-infant-circumcision/">Infant circumcision rates</a> are less than 10% in the following counties: England, France, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, all of South and Central America, Japan, China, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Greece, Taiwan, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Australia and more. <br />
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Infant circumcision rates are higher than 10% in the following countries: USA, Israel, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Republic of Congo, Eritrea, and Kenya. <br />
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12.) Men with natural penises are <a href="http://www.cirp.org/library/sex_function/shen1/">less likely</a> to experience Erectile Dysfunction as they age. Translation - your son will be less likely to need Viagra when he's 55.<br />
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13.) Female sexual partners of men with natural penises are <a href="http://www.cirp.org/library/sex_function/bensley1/">more likely to achieve orgasm</a> during sexual intercourse. They are also less likely to need lubricant.<br />
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14.) There are over <a href="http://www.circumcision.org/foreskin.htm">20,000 nerve endings</a> in the foreskin. That's more than in the female clitoris. <br />
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15.) The foreskin <a href="http://www.penisfiles.com/foreskin.htm">protects</a> the head of the penis.<br />
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16.) The foreskin provides <a href="http://www.noharmm.org/advantage.htm">lubrication</a> during sexual intercourse. Men with natural penises are less likely to use lubrication during sex or masturbation.<br />
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17.) No major medical organization on earth recommends routine circumcision of infants.<br />
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18.) It's easy to clean when he's older. <a href="http://www.nocirc.org/publish/pamphlet8.html">Shower</a>. Besides, by the time his foreskin is retractable, (average age, <a href="http://www.cirp.org/library/normal/">10.4 years old</a>), you will no longer be cleaning his penis. I hope.<br />
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19.) <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ali-a-rizvi/male-circumcision-and-the_b_249728.html">Circumcision does not prevent AIDS</a>, or any other STD. Condoms do. Having sex with one, monogamous partner and avoiding IV drug use prevents AIDS. Why would you assume your baby's going to be a man-whore anyway?<br />
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20.) We don't chop off ears to prevent ear infections. We don't remove baby toenails to prevent fungal infections. We don't cut off body parts anymore when a wound becomes infected. In the <a href="http://www.cirp.org/library/disease/UTI/">very unlikely event</a> your son does develop an infection, we have antibiotics. <br />
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21.) Circumcision in the US began as a method to discourage masturbation, advocated by <a href="http://www.historyofcircumcision.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=0">Kellogg</a>, the cereal magnate, who also believed in the importance of daily cold enemas. Really - true story!! He stressed that circumcision should be done without anesthesia so boys would remember the pain every time they wanted to masturbate. How'd that work out?<br />
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22.) Natural penises only "look funny" to you if they are unfamiliar to you. Your son's generation will see them as normal.<br />
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23.) Women produce far more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smegma">smegma </a>than men, but we don't cut off their baby girl labia to keep things "clean."<br />
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24.) Your son will respect you for leaving the decision up to him, and for respecting his right to <a href="http://www.restoringtally.com/blog/2010/07/parents-respect-genital-integrity-and-autonomy-your-children">genital integrity</a>.<br />
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25.) Complications of circumcision are NOT rare. Check out this <a href="http://community.babycenter.com/post/a10051525/re-circumcision_and_penile_adhesion_surgery">thread on Babycenter.com</a> (a mommy board, not a circumcision website) to read their stories.<br />
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26.) Most hospital circumcisions are performed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obstetrics">Obstetricians and Gynecologists</a>, whose specialty is female reproduction, not male.<br />
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27.) Circumcision is not usually performed in a sterile operating room, but in a <a href="http://www.cirp.org/library/complications/enzenauer2/">dirty nursery</a> or a side room in hospitals without nurseries.<br />
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28.) Circumcision makes money for doctors. A doctor who performs circumcisions makes an extra <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=ljZZ9ZvD_kQC&pg=PA492&lpg=PA492&dq=circumcision+income+doctor&source=bl&ots=Gx1NkxPFJi&sig=XBWaZlNnkSzxWj8UI-jNoPfbqKw&hl=en&ei=8ObaTPmEDsH98AbPzpWZCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=circumcision%20income%20doctor&f=false">$20,000-160,000 per year</a> on the operations. That's why they offer circumcision at hospitals - for cash. They'll ask you if you want your son circumcised multiple times at the hospital: they want <b>the money</b>.<br />
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29.) <a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/442617-overview">Less than 1%</a> of men with foreskins will ever "need" to be circumcised, just as the vast majority of women will never need a hysterectomy or mastectomy. We don't remove tonsils or fingernails or anything else at birth "in case" it has a problem.<br />
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30.) <a href="http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/penile">Penile cancer</a> causes 300 deaths a year, almost exclusively in men over the age of 70. Infant circumcision causes over <a href="http://www.noharmm.org/incidenceworld.htm">500 deaths a year</a> worldwide. Circumcision <a href="http://www.cirp.org/library/disease/cancer/">does not prevent</a> penile cancer.<br />
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31.) Babies with foreskins are more likely to breastfeed successfully. Infant circumcision interferes with breastfeeding and <a href="http://www.nocirc.org/statements/breastfeeding.php">hinders breastfeeding success</a>. Isn't breastfeeding hard enough?<br />
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32.) Fathers don't spend time comparing penises with their sons. If your son does notice that his penis is different from Dad's (other than size and hair), you can <a href="http://www.drspock.com/faq/0,1511,8014,00.html">simply explain</a> that Daddy had an operation when he was a baby. My dad lost half of his ring finger in an accident, but I was never bothered by having all of my fingers.<br />
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33.) Your grandfather (or great-grandfather) probably wasn't circumcised, unless you are of Jewish or Muslim descent. It's a relatively <a href="http://www.historyofcircumcision.net/">new thing in the USA</a>. Abe Lincoln and George Washington had foreskins.<br />
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34.) Most circumcised penises have scars. If you've ever seen a circumcised penis, you have probably seen circumcision scars and didn't know what they were. Curious? Click <a href="http://www.circumstitions.com/Restric/Botched3sc.html">here</a> for pictures (adult eyes please, extremely graphic).<br />
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35.) When erect, natural penises don't<a href="http://www.circumstitions.com/Restric/comparison.html"> look very different </a>from circumcised ones (adult eyes please)<br />
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36.) <a href="http://www.circumstitions.com/death.html">Babies have died</a> following complications of circumcision.<br />
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37.) Babies have had the glans (head) of their <a href="http://www.springerlink.com/content/3wlr08kuj7q5x1a7/">penis accidentally amputated</a> during circumcision.<br />
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38.) Female circumcision was legal in the United States until 1985. It was <a href="http://www.munfw.org/archive/50th/who2.htm">practiced in the USA</a> as recently as the 1979 to prevent masturbation.<br />
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39.) Your health insurance may not cover the procedure. <a href="http://www.icgi.org/Medicaid_Project/index.htm">Medicaid does not cover it in 16 states</a>, and many <a href="http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?p=2773801">major insurance companies also do not reimburse </a>for the surgery, since it is cosmetic. If your insurance doesn't cover it, it probably also does not cover any complications.<br />
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40.) Babies are strapped down on a <a href="http://www.posey.com/Posey/NICU-Pediatric/Posey-Circumstraint-Board-Straps/4749.aspx">circumstraint </a>to have the procedure done. That is the most unnatural, terrifying position for a baby, who previously was all curled up and safe inside Mama's body.<br />
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41.) If you believe in evolution, <a href="http://www.historyofcircumcision.net/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=15">why are men born with foreskins</a>? If you believe in God, why did he give men foreskins? Did they screw up?<br />
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42.) If you are Christian, your religion actually *<a href="http://www.udonet.com/circumcision/christian.html">forbids</a>* circumcision. Your son's body is a temple, and Jesus was the sacrifice to end all sacrifices - including the foreskin. See <a href="http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/circumcision.html">this link</a> for more info.<br />
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43.) If you are Jewish, you should know that there is <a href="http://www.jewishcircumcision.org/">considerable debate</a> about the religious necessity of circumcision. <br />
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44.) If you do believe that your religion requires the sacrifice of the foreskin, your son can choose to sacrifice his foreskin in the name of religion when he is<a href="http://www.issuesinmedicalethics.org/154co171.html"> old enough to make the decision</a> himself.<br />
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45.) The <a href="http://www.enotalone.com/article/3512.html">foreskin is fused</a> to the head of an infant's penis, just like your fingernail is fused to your finger. Have you ever pulled back your fingernail all the way? Owwwwwwwwwwwww.<br />
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46.) Circumcision <a href="http://www.glorialemay.com/blog/?p=350">makes penises smaller</a>. Who wants a smaller penis?<br />
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47.) "My partner should make the decision, he has a penis/she looks at penises" is a dumb reason to abdicate responsibility for a decision. You are your baby's parent, penis or not, and you have a responsibility to protect your child from harm. Victims of FGM (aka female circumcision) are the most vocal supporters and <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=yzCRwrcE0PcC&pg=PA78&lpg=PA78&dq=fgm+perpetrators+female+victims&source=bl&ots=x65ylMQrJ_&sig=RBYtPScTFgBYlZjTMMJEsmSS-vY&hl=en&ei=LfHaTKHRC4GB8ga2h5j6CQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=fgm%20perpetrators%20female%20victims&f=false">perpetrators of the abuse</a>. Call on your inner Mama or Papa-bear and stand up for your baby's rights. Make your partner <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDuDhkiDdns">watch a video with the sound on</a> and convince YOU why they want this done to their precious child. <br />
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48.) You have seen an uncircumcised penis, and you probably didn't even notice. Take a look at this (safe for kids) picture!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.smokescreendesign.com/images/Man-Leonardo-da-Vinci.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://faculty.rpcs.org/pittengerj/images/david.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://faculty.rpcs.org/pittengerj/images/david.jpg" width="146" /></a></div><br />
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49.) He'll be in good company. Check out this (in my opinion, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26015&id=121502171227738&fbid=142653289112626">mouth-watering) gallery</a> of famous intact men! From Elvis, James Dean, Will Smith, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jude Law and sooo many others.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/krasgostosos/jensen/jensen-ackles-jensen-ackles-6505537-413-475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/krasgostosos/jensen/jensen-ackles-jensen-ackles-6505537-413-475.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Jensen Ackles, my personal favorite. </div><br />
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50.) It's his. I know, I said it already. but it's really the first and last reason - and perhaps the only one you really need. It's his body, and unless medically necessary, it should be his choice. You wouldn't give him a nose job without his permission, you wouldn't tattoo your infant. This is the same thing. If you really look at your motives, why would you want to take the risks? Leave the decision where it belongs - in your son's hands.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com335tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7426708469469820849.post-90076310442496543112010-08-11T08:27:00.000-07:002010-12-02T13:58:13.702-08:00Photo Walk, 8-9-10The best thing about living in a converted mill on a river is the ability to wander around and take beautiful photos at sunset. I am surrounded by such magnificent beauty!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">The rules are simple: </span><br />
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<ol style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyone can participate. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">You're encouraged to take five <i>new</i> photos this week for the challenge. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive (although I'm not too strict about it - I do my best to take fresh shots). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"> Link up <a href="http://ashleysisk.blogspot.com/search/label/Scavenger%20Hunt">here </a>on Sunday (or Monday at the latest) - you can use the new button. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Have fun! </span></li>
</ol><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now for my interpretation of the items this week: </span></div><br />
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Shadow - David 9 with David 7 (aka Grandpa), who came to visit this week from Michigan.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGExFedjzqU4NGynCoMy0Ga36DZIQohcyPsziYOju4djcAH6A2PfC7AevY3n5w070s7y7vjaiiyIy3UrDaARl88sbf3FwJJRdDoE4E_F-imdY6R_NSXwNbUDbBcuUXlnA0RCTWJejK2Io/s1600/Shadow.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503576820591315986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGExFedjzqU4NGynCoMy0Ga36DZIQohcyPsziYOju4djcAH6A2PfC7AevY3n5w070s7y7vjaiiyIy3UrDaARl88sbf3FwJJRdDoE4E_F-imdY6R_NSXwNbUDbBcuUXlnA0RCTWJejK2Io/s400/Shadow.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 400px; width: 280px;" /></a><br />
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Glass - looking up at the entrance to the common room from the riverwalk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1J-2-rh8JoJ24NyCDGUwyHW60pGcm9CWKanfn8QJD3y1xfeV_SCWVqvXXDQTWSg9PxRDbWey4gP6teuGzdygfc9gMOPmV9wOr7BNSpiNbwfCP0DKrqLoHYdmqNfqRCgHfX5wc-0hALUQ/s1600/glass.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503576716231620706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1J-2-rh8JoJ24NyCDGUwyHW60pGcm9CWKanfn8QJD3y1xfeV_SCWVqvXXDQTWSg9PxRDbWey4gP6teuGzdygfc9gMOPmV9wOr7BNSpiNbwfCP0DKrqLoHYdmqNfqRCgHfX5wc-0hALUQ/s400/glass.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 268px; width: 400px;" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2