The Common Cold, Episode 2

My poor baby girl is sick with a cold and there is snot everywhere! Luckily, it is only her second cold (and if we don't count the one night that she puked a couple of times for no known reason a few months back), it is only the second time she has been sick since birth. Part of me wants to attribute it to the fact that I am still breastfeeding, but the research suggests my role in that department was over many months ago (around 6 months.) I can, however, take partial credit for the kick-ass immune system she has obviously inherited!

And when did I become okay with snot being smeared all over my clothing and using my shirt to wipe a nose other than my own? (Don't pretend to be grossed out because I know you have used your shirt to wipe your own nose at least once in your life.) I guess it was around the same time that I became okay with eating my daughter's leftover and smashed up food. It is one of those things that non-parents cringe at (as I once did), but now seems like second nature. It is just what we do!

Breastfeeding a very congested toddler is definitely a challenge! This afternoon when my daughter woke from her nap she was so congested that she couldn't breath through her nose at all and no matter whether she was lying beside me or elevated in my arms, nursing just wasn't working. I felt so bad for her because she cried and cried as all she wanted to do was nurse and be comforted. I finally decided to dig out my breast pump (which I hadn't used in over 2 months.) I wasn't keen on the idea of pumping again and considered warming some homo milk for her instead, but because the little voice in my head kept telling me over and over again "Breast is Best", I decided to bite the bullet.

As I haven't pumped since December, my daughter also hasn't had to drink from a bottle for that period of time. I wondered if giving her a bottle was even a good idea at this point and thought about giving her my milk in a cup instead. In the end, I opted for the bottle because I figured she would be more likely to drink from it and because it is such a rare occurrence there was no worry about her becoming attached (it is generally recommended that the bottle be given up at 12 months of age, 18 months at the latest and replaced with a cup.)She resisted the bottle at first, but soon decided that it was acceptable. I wasn't able to get very much milk when I pumped so she was still hungry when the bottle was empty at which point, I filled it with cold homo milk and she continued to drink happily. Never mind that it was over the course of the next half and hour while she toted the bottle around the apartment everywhere she went. It wasn't until she put it down to do something more exciting that I was able to get it away from her without a fuss. But, that was that and she didn't seem to give it a second for the rest of the day. Luckily, her congestion had cleared enough by the this evening that she was able to nurse before bed.

Here's hoping we have a good night and that Lilah wakes spry as a cricket in the morning!

Breastfeeding: Books & Breastpumps

Here we go...BREASTFEEDING! I am going to start out talking about books and breastpumps!

Books

I would highly recommend getting a copy of The Nursing Mother's Companion. I love this book! It is not preachy about breastfeeding the way books written by hard-core advocates can be. Rather, it recognizes that everyone's situation is different and that some mother's go back to work and some father's want to play a role in feeding. This book has answered every single question about breastfeeding that I have had to this day. It is very comprehensive and talks about everything from preparing for breastfeeding through to breastfeeding into the toddler years. I can't say enough good things about this book!

Breastpumps

Due to the nature of my job, I was only able to stay home with my daughter for 6 weeks before I had to return to work part-time. Therefore, a breastpump was absolutely necessary for me. I bought the Medela Pump in Style Advanced ($280.00 US). This is a daily use breastpump designed for mothers who pump several times a day. I really like this breastpump and would highly recommend it if you are going to be pumping regularly.

If you are only going to be pumping occasionally, I would recommend looking into a less expensive occasional use breastpump (manual, $35.00 US or electric, $150.00 US) to save yourself some money.

Even if you don't plan on pumping at all, I would consider buying an occasional use breastpump because there are situations in which you may want it.

For example, I used it on many occasions when my breasts were particularly engorged and my daughter was just not eating enough to give me relief. If you want your partner to be able to play a role in feeding, you are going to need a pump. Although I have not had this problem, I know some mothers need to pump in advance of feeding to get their milk flowing if it takes a long time to let down and/or baby is having trouble.

If you do decide to buy a breastpump, you will need storage bags if you plan of freezing your milk for later use. Everything else that I needed came with my breastpump (tubes, breastsheilds, cooler bag with ice pack, 4 - 5 oz bottles, lids, and wide-base slow flow nipples). Check the model you are considering to see of there are any additional supplies you might need.

A side note - the wide-based slow flow nipples and Medela bottles where the only nipples and bottles we could get my daughter to accept. We tried Playtex Ventaire and Gerber bottles and she refused both. Make sure you have a variety of nipple and bottle types on hand if you are going to try to get your baby to take a bottle because this can make a big difference in whether you are successful or not.

Stay tuned for more on breastfeeding and let me know if you have any questions!