Teething...the wonderful 2 year ordeal that all children must unfortunately go though (it is no walk in the park for parents either).
My daughter started getting her first bottom tooth several weeks ago. Shortly thereafter, her second bottom tooth started to come through. They are ever so SLOWLY making their way through, but it seems to be taking forever!
Pain Medication
I really don't like the idea of giving my daughter pain medication. I never have. When she had her immunizations, I would only give her one dose afterwards if she was in pain. On those occasions, it was pretty obvious that she was in pain and giving her pain medication to settle her down seemed like a no-brainer. When it comes to knowing when to give medication for teething pain, it is a different story.
How do you know?
Unfortunately, babies can't talk. If they could, our job would be SO much easier. When it comes to figuring out what is wrong, it seems like a complete guessing game at times. Throughout the teething process, Lilah has never seemed distressed during the day and usually doesn't want to have anything to do with a teething ring. At night, it is a different story...I think.
It is so hard to know whether she is just really fussy because she does not want to go to sleep, if she is going through a little bit of separation anxiety or if she is truly in pain. Some of the signs that seem to indicate teething pain are when she is chewing on her blanket and/or fingers in a way that is not typical or when her cry is a little more distressed. Another sign is that it feels a little different when she is nursing. By 'feels a little different', I mean it can hurt. She tends to suck more aggressively and it almost feels as though she is mashing my nipple which I am sure simply makes her gums feel better. If she is exhibiting these signs, I will consider medication if it is preventing her from falling asleep.
I bought an all-natural teething gel because I would rather give that a try than drug her up every time I think she might be in pain. Given that the teething process takes roughly 2 years, one could potentially go through a lot of pain medication if it was given when it wasn't completely necessary. I have also given her Infant Tempra on a couple of occasions after first trying the teething gel alone. The pain does seems to come and go. She will seem very unhappy for a few nights and things get a little rough and then she will be fine for a week or so (which just makes it that much harder to figure out).
Sadly, there really isn't anything we can do to speed up this process. As parents our job is to love and comfort our children at these times and be VERY patient. Just when you think you have things figured out and you have established a good routine, something else comes along, like teething, to blow it out of the water!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Process of Dropping a Nap
I think it is safe to say that Lilah has officially dropped her 3rd nap. Over the past several weeks, it became increasingly more difficult to get her to go down for her later afternoon nap and on many occasions it didn't happen at all. On the days that she refused to nap, she would be exhausted by the time bedtime rolled around because she had been awake since the early afternoon. Keeping her up until bedtime and getting her to go to sleep at night was becoming very challenging because she was so overtired by that time (FYI - 7:00pm is our bedtime and has been for several months). At this point, we realized we needed to step in and 'manipulate' the situation in order to shorten the long afternoon period.
Let's rewind...For several months, Lilah consistently took 3 naps each day. Her first nap would be 1 1/2 -2 hours after she woke in the morning for about an hour and then she would take 2 more hour long naps after being awake for about 2 hours in between each. When the process of dropping a nap started (yes, it very much was a process because it didn't just happen one day), Lilah was still taking her first 2 naps early in the day which meant there was a very long stretch between waking from the 2nd nap and bedtime.
I started to slowly try to keep her up a little later in the morning and between her naps. At first I was only able to keep her up for about 2 1/2 hours in the morning and between naps, but now we have worked our way up to about 2 1/2 - 3 hours of awake time. Three hours seems to be her limit which makes sense because it is actually common for children of her age (8 months) to be able to stay awake for only 2 1/2 - 3 hours at a time. Her naps are now becoming slightly longer which means she is still sleeping for the same amount of time as she was before, but in 2 spurts instead of 3 (Generally speaking, it does not matter how many naps your child takes, but that they are getting about 14 hours of sleep each day on average. There are, however, huge variations when it comes to amount of sleep).
Our new schedule is working out much better. The longer awake periods between naps means she is now napping well into the afternoon and there is a shorter period of awake time between the last nap and bedtime. Bedtime has become easier and we don't have to work to keep her awake until 7:00pm.
An added bonus is that our nursing and eating schedule has also become a little more predictable as there is more time to fit in a nursing and breakfast and/or nursing and lunch (and sometimes even a snack) before it is time to go back to sleep. Prior to the change, it was often very challenging to get her to nurse and eat breakfast/lunch in the span of 1 1/2 - 2 hours during which she was awake. Getting out of the house is now a little easier too!
I am not looking forward to the day when Lilah decides to drop her morning nap. It is inevitable and will happen sooner than later. I guess I will just have to fully enjoy the time I now have in the morning for as long as I have it!
Happy napping!
Let's rewind...For several months, Lilah consistently took 3 naps each day. Her first nap would be 1 1/2 -2 hours after she woke in the morning for about an hour and then she would take 2 more hour long naps after being awake for about 2 hours in between each. When the process of dropping a nap started (yes, it very much was a process because it didn't just happen one day), Lilah was still taking her first 2 naps early in the day which meant there was a very long stretch between waking from the 2nd nap and bedtime.
I started to slowly try to keep her up a little later in the morning and between her naps. At first I was only able to keep her up for about 2 1/2 hours in the morning and between naps, but now we have worked our way up to about 2 1/2 - 3 hours of awake time. Three hours seems to be her limit which makes sense because it is actually common for children of her age (8 months) to be able to stay awake for only 2 1/2 - 3 hours at a time. Her naps are now becoming slightly longer which means she is still sleeping for the same amount of time as she was before, but in 2 spurts instead of 3 (Generally speaking, it does not matter how many naps your child takes, but that they are getting about 14 hours of sleep each day on average. There are, however, huge variations when it comes to amount of sleep).
Our new schedule is working out much better. The longer awake periods between naps means she is now napping well into the afternoon and there is a shorter period of awake time between the last nap and bedtime. Bedtime has become easier and we don't have to work to keep her awake until 7:00pm.
An added bonus is that our nursing and eating schedule has also become a little more predictable as there is more time to fit in a nursing and breakfast and/or nursing and lunch (and sometimes even a snack) before it is time to go back to sleep. Prior to the change, it was often very challenging to get her to nurse and eat breakfast/lunch in the span of 1 1/2 - 2 hours during which she was awake. Getting out of the house is now a little easier too!
I am not looking forward to the day when Lilah decides to drop her morning nap. It is inevitable and will happen sooner than later. I guess I will just have to fully enjoy the time I now have in the morning for as long as I have it!
Happy napping!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Adventures in Breastfeeding
It has been some time since I posted on the topic of breastfeeding. In my last breastfeeding post, I focused on the period of time during which your milk comes in and the pain that can come along with that in the form of engorgement. In this post, I would like to discuss some of the other breastfeeding issues that I have had over the last several months.
Luckily, breastfeeding has come very easy for me and, therefore, I have not experienced many of the problems facing other nursing mothers out there. However, I do want to share a couple of experiences I have had in the hopes that it may help other mothers out there that may be experiencing the same or similar things.
Raynauld's Phenomenon
After several months of successful nursing, I started to experience a burning sensation in my nipples after nursing and they became very sore and blanched. After a few days, I started to wonder if I possibly had some kind of an infection or some other serious problem and debated going to the doctor. I pulled out my The Nursing Mother's Companion book to see if I could find some answers and low and behold I discovered Raynauld's Phenomenon.
Raynauld's Phenomenon occurs when a vasospasm in the nipple prevents blood from getting to that area of the body. It is often brought on by the drop in temperature when the baby's mouth leaves the nipple (the ambient air is cooler than the baby's mouth). Coincidentally, I was experiencing this during the coldest winter months when the air inside my home was fairly cool. Once I stared to wrap myself in a blanket and take more care to keep myself warm during our nursing sessions, the pain and blanching went away.
Biting
This is a new one and luckily, it has only happened once. My daughter now has two bottom teeth and the other day, she bit me during a nursing session. It is actually my fault because I was trying to nurse her when she wasn't really hungry. Anyway, I yelped because it really hurt! Her tooth actually broke through the skin on my nipple and drew blood! It has been a few days and the wound is healing, but nursing has been somewhat painful since (it almost reminds me of the early days...although the pain is less intense).
Generally speaking, babies are more likely to bite at the end of a nursing session or when they are allowed to snack or play at the breast and it usually occurs when their first teeth are coming in. There are a few steps that you can take to prevent biting and/or put an end to it:
1) Don't let baby snack or play at the end of the nursing session. End the session as soon as baby has stopped actively sucking and swallowing.
2) Soothe baby's gums before nursing with a cold teething ring or washcloth.
3) Have your finger ready during the nursing session to end the feeding if necessary.
4) If baby does get your nipple between his or her teeth pull him or her closer to the breast such that the nose is partially blocked which will usually cause baby to release in order to breathe.
Slow Let-Down and Diminished Milk Supply
At around the 7 month mark, I started to notice that my milk was taking longer and longer to let-down and my daughter was getting increasingly frustrated by the situation. A slow let-down can often be a sign of a low milk supply. I was also noticing that I was unable to pump very much milk while I was at work.
It is not uncommon for a nursing mother to notice a decrease in her milk supply after about 6 months post-partum. It is critically important to take steps to build up your milk supply if this occurs if you plan to continue nursing. Getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of fluids and eating right are key. It may also be necessary to pump after or between feedings for a few days to build up the supply. After a few days, you should notice that your breasts feel fuller and that baby is drinking for a longer period of time.
I am currently in the process of trying to increase my supply. My daughter currently nurses 4 times during the day (and 2 times at night) so I have been pumping one additional time during the day to stimulate milk production. I have started to notice a fuller feeling and I am hoping my milk will start letting down a little more quickly over the next few days.
The breastfeeding relationship continues to change as your baby grows and your body adjusts to his or her current needs. Some of these changes are welcome (like when your baby begins to nurse less frequently and you begin to feel like you can devote more time to other endeavours) and some of the changes can be scary (like when you think there may be a problem). Have a good book on hand that you can refer to even during the second half of your baby's first year. I highly recommend The Nursing Mother's Companion as it takes you through the 6-12 month period and beyond into toddler hood. It has eased my mind more times than I can count!
Luckily, breastfeeding has come very easy for me and, therefore, I have not experienced many of the problems facing other nursing mothers out there. However, I do want to share a couple of experiences I have had in the hopes that it may help other mothers out there that may be experiencing the same or similar things.
Raynauld's Phenomenon
After several months of successful nursing, I started to experience a burning sensation in my nipples after nursing and they became very sore and blanched. After a few days, I started to wonder if I possibly had some kind of an infection or some other serious problem and debated going to the doctor. I pulled out my The Nursing Mother's Companion book to see if I could find some answers and low and behold I discovered Raynauld's Phenomenon.
Raynauld's Phenomenon occurs when a vasospasm in the nipple prevents blood from getting to that area of the body. It is often brought on by the drop in temperature when the baby's mouth leaves the nipple (the ambient air is cooler than the baby's mouth). Coincidentally, I was experiencing this during the coldest winter months when the air inside my home was fairly cool. Once I stared to wrap myself in a blanket and take more care to keep myself warm during our nursing sessions, the pain and blanching went away.
Biting
This is a new one and luckily, it has only happened once. My daughter now has two bottom teeth and the other day, she bit me during a nursing session. It is actually my fault because I was trying to nurse her when she wasn't really hungry. Anyway, I yelped because it really hurt! Her tooth actually broke through the skin on my nipple and drew blood! It has been a few days and the wound is healing, but nursing has been somewhat painful since (it almost reminds me of the early days...although the pain is less intense).
Generally speaking, babies are more likely to bite at the end of a nursing session or when they are allowed to snack or play at the breast and it usually occurs when their first teeth are coming in. There are a few steps that you can take to prevent biting and/or put an end to it:
1) Don't let baby snack or play at the end of the nursing session. End the session as soon as baby has stopped actively sucking and swallowing.
2) Soothe baby's gums before nursing with a cold teething ring or washcloth.
3) Have your finger ready during the nursing session to end the feeding if necessary.
4) If baby does get your nipple between his or her teeth pull him or her closer to the breast such that the nose is partially blocked which will usually cause baby to release in order to breathe.
Slow Let-Down and Diminished Milk Supply
At around the 7 month mark, I started to notice that my milk was taking longer and longer to let-down and my daughter was getting increasingly frustrated by the situation. A slow let-down can often be a sign of a low milk supply. I was also noticing that I was unable to pump very much milk while I was at work.
It is not uncommon for a nursing mother to notice a decrease in her milk supply after about 6 months post-partum. It is critically important to take steps to build up your milk supply if this occurs if you plan to continue nursing. Getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of fluids and eating right are key. It may also be necessary to pump after or between feedings for a few days to build up the supply. After a few days, you should notice that your breasts feel fuller and that baby is drinking for a longer period of time.
I am currently in the process of trying to increase my supply. My daughter currently nurses 4 times during the day (and 2 times at night) so I have been pumping one additional time during the day to stimulate milk production. I have started to notice a fuller feeling and I am hoping my milk will start letting down a little more quickly over the next few days.
The breastfeeding relationship continues to change as your baby grows and your body adjusts to his or her current needs. Some of these changes are welcome (like when your baby begins to nurse less frequently and you begin to feel like you can devote more time to other endeavours) and some of the changes can be scary (like when you think there may be a problem). Have a good book on hand that you can refer to even during the second half of your baby's first year. I highly recommend The Nursing Mother's Companion as it takes you through the 6-12 month period and beyond into toddler hood. It has eased my mind more times than I can count!
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