So, you're pregnant, and you've never had much to do with babies before, and you have to buy some stuff for the littl'un to wear. But what, besides a nappy (oy vey, whole other story)?
The basic outfit is a little all-in-one vest, armless and legless, underneath, with a full babygro on top. Babygros are also called rompers or combinations, I think. Essentially they cover the whole baby except for the little head.
When buying or requesting babygros for a newborn, what you want are the following features: Poppers, not buttons or zips or ties. Poppers for the nappy area, obviously. Must be cotton. Must not have scratchy labels or stiching on the inside. Ideally it should open all the way down the front so you don't have to pull it over your newborn's head while also fighting to get her little arms down the sleeves. No hood. Ideally no collar. Must have foldover sleeves so you can avoid scratching of her face and your breasts by those tiny, uncuttable, razorsharp claws. Must have feet to the legs. This is because scratchmitts and socks do not stay on, in general.
There are many ramifications for baby clothing for later on when the baby's a bit bigger (maybe two months old). But essentially, you'll probably be one of two kinds of mom, when it comes to dressing your baby: Cute or practical.
The kind of mom who wants her baby to look pretty will go for 'outfits', which can be quite complex. They can involve buttons and back fastenings and even little shoes. (There's no call for shoes till the baby's walking.) They have a huge 'oooh, aaah' factor, and tend to make the baby look older...like a little person, rather than like a little 'sausage'. They may be tailored to particular events or weather (rainsuits, swimsuits, dresses, mini-jeans etc). This kind of mom daydreams about her baby's wardrobe, shops for it ecstatically, and plans her baby's outfit for the day in advance. Possibly this mom will even be prepared to iron the baby's clothes. (Having said that, ironing is a good way to kill little bugs if you line-dry babyclothes.)
The other kind of mom wants her baby to be comfy, and for the clothes to be easy to take off and put on and wash. You guessed it, this means vests and babygros. It's easier to grasp your baby around the middle in a vest rather than a flappy, slithery dress. Flappy dresses also ride up and bunch when you carry your baby in a sling. In a babygro, your baby can't be assailed by chilly draughts or overheated in many decorative layers. Your baby's tummy can't be squeezed by knobbly waistlines and her shoulders can't be cut into by scratchy sundress straps. You won't have to peel off stockings or leggings or mini-jeans while trying to change a nappy. Babygros don't need ironing. In hot weather, nothing's cooler than just a vest, unless you go for just a nappy.
No prizes for guessing the kind of mom I am. I reckon babies look extremely cute in whatever you dress them in. Mine does, anyhoo...But I will admit that, having been given many an outfit, I do dress the Hungry Mouth up for some occasions, and they do make her look extra adorable and photogenic.
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Monday, 28 July 2008
Oogy eye
Technically known as conjunctivitis. Not pinkeye, that's caused by a virus, my GP informed me. Then he said he couldn't tell for sure whether a bacterium or a virus was behind my oogy eye , and prescribed me chloramphenicol eyedrops. Now before we get excited about automatic unnecessary prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics leading to increased resistance developing in the population as patients fail to complete their courses of medication (indeed an important issue), this is absolutely normal procedure for conjunctivitis, especially when a baby is involved. To discover whether it's a viral or bacterial infection, he'd have to take a swab and send it to a hosptial lab, and waiting those extra days could be unnecessarily agonising for me and the Hungry Mouth.
Of course, if it were viral, we'd just have to wait it out for up to ten days, and chloramphenicol wouldn't help at all, as it attacks the protein coats of living organisms only (viruses aren't technically alive). But my GP thought it likely that it was bacterial conjunctivitis, perhaps because it wasn't as painful as it would have been were it viral (so my optician friend tells me). Chloramphenicol attacks a very wide range of bacteria, and has nasty side-effects on a patient's liver and other organs if ingested, but these side-effects are avoided if the antibiotic is used only topically (in this case, only in the ye).
Conjunctivitis is pretty catchy; we were extra careful about sharing towels with Hubby and such. But he didn't get it.
Anyhow, I squirted the eyedrops onto the matching green goo in my eyes and in the bright-as-a-button eyes of the Hungry Mouth (she did not have it as badly as I did at all). And in less than 12 hours there was a noticeable, wonderful improvement. The swelling reduced, the itching lessened, the copious goo production slowed, and my eye could once again view the world without painful blinking. Really, antibiotics are a miracle! Though, of course, I completed the course!
Of course, if it were viral, we'd just have to wait it out for up to ten days, and chloramphenicol wouldn't help at all, as it attacks the protein coats of living organisms only (viruses aren't technically alive). But my GP thought it likely that it was bacterial conjunctivitis, perhaps because it wasn't as painful as it would have been were it viral (so my optician friend tells me). Chloramphenicol attacks a very wide range of bacteria, and has nasty side-effects on a patient's liver and other organs if ingested, but these side-effects are avoided if the antibiotic is used only topically (in this case, only in the ye).
Conjunctivitis is pretty catchy; we were extra careful about sharing towels with Hubby and such. But he didn't get it.
Anyhow, I squirted the eyedrops onto the matching green goo in my eyes and in the bright-as-a-button eyes of the Hungry Mouth (she did not have it as badly as I did at all). And in less than 12 hours there was a noticeable, wonderful improvement. The swelling reduced, the itching lessened, the copious goo production slowed, and my eye could once again view the world without painful blinking. Really, antibiotics are a miracle! Though, of course, I completed the course!
Sunday, 27 July 2008
Chattanoogachoochoo
I hope that onomatopaeic title conveys to you the idea of a train. Specifically, a kiddy train. The miniature kind that trundles around a pretty park.
Well, I thought I'd take the Hungry Mouth on such a train, hoping to elicit squeaks of happiness. And a very nice train it was too. But she dozed the whole way in the babysling.
So, that's that. Have to try again another time.
Well, I thought I'd take the Hungry Mouth on such a train, hoping to elicit squeaks of happiness. And a very nice train it was too. But she dozed the whole way in the babysling.
So, that's that. Have to try again another time.
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Infant colic
Now, I am not sure that the Hungry Mouth actually did have colic. There are many theories and definitions and the term describes regular inconsolable crying, especially in the evening, for babies usually under 3 months old. Crying can come in waves (as if with a griping pain), with brief pauses filled with parental hope. The cause is unclear. But many babies fuss in the evening, when they're tired and overloaded with the day's worth of new stimuli, without it being colic.
We don't feel the Hungry Mouth was ever inconsolable. It's more that it was often a different solution that consoled her on any one occasion. So we had to try lots of things, from feeding (often a winner), to brisk walks outside (she didn't like to be overheated).
But one thing that really did seem to bother her was trapped wind. She would feed frantically, then pop off and start twisting and fussing, very uncomfortable. The midwife suggested Infacol, which is a tasty orange-flavoured solution of dimethicone available over the counter. It reduces the surface tension of the milk, and so allows many tiny painful bubbles in the intestines to merge into bigger ones that are easier to burp up or fart out. Whether it works is controversial; all I can say is it seemed to help the Hungry Mouth quite a lot.
Once she got older, she seemed to get a lot better at burping on her own, and we don't use it anymore.
We don't feel the Hungry Mouth was ever inconsolable. It's more that it was often a different solution that consoled her on any one occasion. So we had to try lots of things, from feeding (often a winner), to brisk walks outside (she didn't like to be overheated).
But one thing that really did seem to bother her was trapped wind. She would feed frantically, then pop off and start twisting and fussing, very uncomfortable. The midwife suggested Infacol, which is a tasty orange-flavoured solution of dimethicone available over the counter. It reduces the surface tension of the milk, and so allows many tiny painful bubbles in the intestines to merge into bigger ones that are easier to burp up or fart out. Whether it works is controversial; all I can say is it seemed to help the Hungry Mouth quite a lot.
Once she got older, she seemed to get a lot better at burping on her own, and we don't use it anymore.
Many moods
I don't really know any other babies. I meet 'em, of course, some of them quite frequently. But obviously I do not live with any other babies, getting to know them as well as we 'know' our own mysterious l'il tot.
So I'm not sure if all babies are as volatile as ours is. In just a few minutes she can go from wriggly chirpy coos to exhausted fussing (followed by nap) to plaintive 'I woke up alone, all alone' yowls to delighted squeaks to hungry fussing to eager slurping to dozy 'holding pattern' comfort sucking.
And even in the middle of a determined screaming session, we can get the occasional sulky smile.
A baby of many moods. It's like she metamorphoses into a whole other baby!
Just think, Hubby says, how many new little 'personalities' she will unfold in the months and years to come, in different places and with different friends and caregivers. We adults all show different aspects of ourselves in different situations, under different stresses, and with different people, and so will she. Of course, that means some facets of her developing personality we will never get to see... so I feel privileged that just at this point in her life, when we're always together, that I can get to know all about her.
So I'm not sure if all babies are as volatile as ours is. In just a few minutes she can go from wriggly chirpy coos to exhausted fussing (followed by nap) to plaintive 'I woke up alone, all alone' yowls to delighted squeaks to hungry fussing to eager slurping to dozy 'holding pattern' comfort sucking.
And even in the middle of a determined screaming session, we can get the occasional sulky smile.
A baby of many moods. It's like she metamorphoses into a whole other baby!
Just think, Hubby says, how many new little 'personalities' she will unfold in the months and years to come, in different places and with different friends and caregivers. We adults all show different aspects of ourselves in different situations, under different stresses, and with different people, and so will she. Of course, that means some facets of her developing personality we will never get to see... so I feel privileged that just at this point in her life, when we're always together, that I can get to know all about her.
Friday, 18 July 2008
Totally in the moment
Everything the Hungry Mouth does, she does 100%.
While feeding or sucking her thumb, her toes and even her ears wiggle happily, her eyes close in bliss, she may pause to sigh contentedly, and her back curves into a banana shape.
While sleeping, relaxation is complete, limbs are splayed out.
While playing Flying Baby, she squeaks with joy, wrinkling her nose and curling her fingers, and aerodynamically extending her legs.
While screaming, her face goes crimson, her fontanelles pulse, her whole body tenses and flails.
While straining to poo, she gets a look of deep concentration, and grunts. Hnuuur! Splurtle!
While being changed, she wiggles her feet and arms like an upturned beetle, making a 'wiswiswis' sound of pleasure at having her bottom polished to a shine.
When last did we savour any experience totally in the moment? We're always thinking about what's next...
While feeding or sucking her thumb, her toes and even her ears wiggle happily, her eyes close in bliss, she may pause to sigh contentedly, and her back curves into a banana shape.
While sleeping, relaxation is complete, limbs are splayed out.
While playing Flying Baby, she squeaks with joy, wrinkling her nose and curling her fingers, and aerodynamically extending her legs.
While screaming, her face goes crimson, her fontanelles pulse, her whole body tenses and flails.
While straining to poo, she gets a look of deep concentration, and grunts. Hnuuur! Splurtle!
While being changed, she wiggles her feet and arms like an upturned beetle, making a 'wiswiswis' sound of pleasure at having her bottom polished to a shine.
When last did we savour any experience totally in the moment? We're always thinking about what's next...
No free lunch
One of the yummy mummies I hang about and about with is partially weaning her baby from exclusive breastmilk onto food, skipping formula entirely...because it's too expensive! Yes, indeed, apparently a tin of formula powder costs about 6 quid and lasts about 6 days...so that's about a quid's worth of infant nutriment a day, innit?
As opposed to, according to her reasoning, lovely 'free' breastmilk. Ahem, but the food I eat, besides maintaining me, is going into either my milk or is providing the energy my body requires to make the milk.
There just ain't no such thing as a free lunch. I reckon in bikkits alone I am eating more than a quid's worth of calories every day...and that's not counting the mighty meals I consume. Time was, I'd eat half a chicken breast and have a sandwich out of the other half the next day. Now, I swallow one practically whole and then gaze hungrily at Hubby's...
As opposed to, according to her reasoning, lovely 'free' breastmilk. Ahem, but the food I eat, besides maintaining me, is going into either my milk or is providing the energy my body requires to make the milk.
There just ain't no such thing as a free lunch. I reckon in bikkits alone I am eating more than a quid's worth of calories every day...and that's not counting the mighty meals I consume. Time was, I'd eat half a chicken breast and have a sandwich out of the other half the next day. Now, I swallow one practically whole and then gaze hungrily at Hubby's...
Losing my hair not my pie
So, you know how when you're pregnant your hair is supposed to thicken and shine? And then all fall out after the happy event?
It's troooooo!
I am losing my hair. Not radically, but since I thought I wasn't gonna be a shedder on account of my hair did not start wafting away right after the Hungry Mouth's birth...it's certainly disappointing to have to watch it drift off in tufts.
And even more disappointingly, I am NOT losing my 'bit of pie'...
To properly appreciate this term, you'll need to discover my favourite cartoon Em. If you don't collect the free weekday evening newspaper thelondonpaper solely for the purpose of reading her excellent cartoon strip, you should look at the archive site http://www.emcartoons.com/ (in a new window of course)...scrolling along to the 3rd strip (Wednesday) of week 2 of January 2008 (lucky2.jpg).
Ehh, well...perhaps the Hungry Mouth will get even hungrier, and I'll effortlessly get thinner as a result. Though the health visitor said nope.
It's troooooo!
I am losing my hair. Not radically, but since I thought I wasn't gonna be a shedder on account of my hair did not start wafting away right after the Hungry Mouth's birth...it's certainly disappointing to have to watch it drift off in tufts.
And even more disappointingly, I am NOT losing my 'bit of pie'...
To properly appreciate this term, you'll need to discover my favourite cartoon Em. If you don't collect the free weekday evening newspaper thelondonpaper solely for the purpose of reading her excellent cartoon strip, you should look at the archive site http://www.emcartoons.com/ (in a new window of course)...scrolling along to the 3rd strip (Wednesday) of week 2 of January 2008 (lucky2.jpg).
Ehh, well...perhaps the Hungry Mouth will get even hungrier, and I'll effortlessly get thinner as a result. Though the health visitor said nope.
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Mamaway
Breastfeeding in public can be very awkward, there's no denying. Some men gaze in a prurient way. Some women look disapproving. Some teenagers look disgusted. Top spots I never want to have to do it include the London Tube or on a street bench or bus stop.
But, with a certain kind of devil-may-care attitude, consisting of muttering to myself "I am providing life-giving nourishment for my extremely hungry baby", most other places are fine. And almost anything's better than thought-obliterating screeching.
That said, suitable tops are essential, in my opinion. It's not very pleasant to have to expose half your chest (if you yank down a low-cut stretchy top) or half your tummy (if you pull up a t-shirt) to feed your baby. And in winter it can also be quite chilly. A good solution is to wear a vest under a low-cut top or cardi - what you do is, tug one up and the other down.
Or, you can buy special feeding tops, which usually have two layers in front, with the layer underneath having two holes. In my opinion, these are much nicer to wear than the vest-and-shirt combo, revealing far less of you. Many places sell such tops in neutral colours, so that you can combine them with anything, I suppose. My problem is, I don't feel happy in white/grey/black/beige and wraparounds are a hassle for me. I like to wear a coloured cotton top.
So I looked about, and the nicest shop I've found is online - Mamaway http://www.mamaway.co.uk
Their tops are pretty and colourful and reasonably priced (given how often you'll wear them, and the specialist design), many are cotton, and they really work well as feeding tops. Also, their delivery is next day. They have various nursing openings, but mostly you tug up/unbutton the top layer, and your baby gets at your nipple without having a swathe of shirt draped over her head. It can look like she is just snuggled up to you, not feeding.
I have breastfed in many a public place, from trains to restaurants to parks, and in front of many a person, from rellies to colleagues. Of course, all problems are not solved by a top. If your baby is popping on and off the breast, distracted or upset, then your nipple is going to be waving about for all to see, however quick you are. And if she dribbles or your other breast leaks through the pad, then there are going to be damp patches. For the latter case, I often wear a wide-weave, pretty low-necked sweater or cardi over the nursing top to disguise any splotches. This also disguises the line of the breast-pad.
But, with a certain kind of devil-may-care attitude, consisting of muttering to myself "I am providing life-giving nourishment for my extremely hungry baby", most other places are fine. And almost anything's better than thought-obliterating screeching.
That said, suitable tops are essential, in my opinion. It's not very pleasant to have to expose half your chest (if you yank down a low-cut stretchy top) or half your tummy (if you pull up a t-shirt) to feed your baby. And in winter it can also be quite chilly. A good solution is to wear a vest under a low-cut top or cardi - what you do is, tug one up and the other down.
Or, you can buy special feeding tops, which usually have two layers in front, with the layer underneath having two holes. In my opinion, these are much nicer to wear than the vest-and-shirt combo, revealing far less of you. Many places sell such tops in neutral colours, so that you can combine them with anything, I suppose. My problem is, I don't feel happy in white/grey/black/beige and wraparounds are a hassle for me. I like to wear a coloured cotton top.
So I looked about, and the nicest shop I've found is online - Mamaway http://www.mamaway.co.uk
Their tops are pretty and colourful and reasonably priced (given how often you'll wear them, and the specialist design), many are cotton, and they really work well as feeding tops. Also, their delivery is next day. They have various nursing openings, but mostly you tug up/unbutton the top layer, and your baby gets at your nipple without having a swathe of shirt draped over her head. It can look like she is just snuggled up to you, not feeding.
I have breastfed in many a public place, from trains to restaurants to parks, and in front of many a person, from rellies to colleagues. Of course, all problems are not solved by a top. If your baby is popping on and off the breast, distracted or upset, then your nipple is going to be waving about for all to see, however quick you are. And if she dribbles or your other breast leaks through the pad, then there are going to be damp patches. For the latter case, I often wear a wide-weave, pretty low-necked sweater or cardi over the nursing top to disguise any splotches. This also disguises the line of the breast-pad.
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Slurp and burp
So, you've just painfully, tiringly squeezed out your own version of the Hungry Mouth...and now you are holding a tiny, mysterious little bundle - how to tell what she wants? Not to put too fine a point on it, inside you she was on a drip and catheter, and has never even felt hungry before.
Well, here are a couple of handy hints from Muslin Mummy and my home-visiting midwife (really, who can complain about the NHS? Not new mothers, anyhow.)
After your baby has fed and come naturally off the nipple, gently lift her arm. If it's all floppy, she's full, at least for the moment. If it's still springy or clenched, she wants more milk. So offer the other side.
Well, here are a couple of handy hints from Muslin Mummy and my home-visiting midwife (really, who can complain about the NHS? Not new mothers, anyhow.)
After your baby has fed and come naturally off the nipple, gently lift her arm. If it's all floppy, she's full, at least for the moment. If it's still springy or clenched, she wants more milk. So offer the other side.
Also, if she's slipping her tongue in and out of her mouth, this isn't a sign that she's still hungry, it's 'mmm, that was delicious'.
If she looks a little blue around the mouth, and her lips turn up in a fleeting smile shape, that's wind. So burp her. Also, if she is twisting uncomfortably (see post on colic), that's probably trapped wind too.
If she yowls, she's extremely probably hungry. Nothing much else bothers newborns. Her tummy is really tiny, and breastmilk digests faster than formula. Even if you feel like you only just finished feeding her, it was probably long enough (an hour?) for her to feel hungry again...So never mind that nappy/hot/cold/bored/overstimulated checklist till a good bit later. Just nipple up, Muslin Mummy!
To burp her, support her back and tummy with each hand to straighten her spine, let her head droop a bit, or lean it on you, and patiently wait for her to burp. If she's fallen asleep, drape her over your shoulder, and wait, maybe taking a small stroll while you do.
Dab on nipple cream (use any pure lanolin, like Lansinoh; nothing else works). Take a couple of pretty baby snaps. Change her nappy. Wait till she starts fussing again.
Repeat all of the above...many times a day and night. (Eventually, your nipples will stop hurting.)
Where the Hungry Mouth sleeps
Like the baby transportation devices, the baby sleep location plan is another minefield of purchasing opportunity!
When she was newborn, the Hungry Mouth was so curled up and tiny that she would have been lost in any cot...and also there was no room in our bedroom to put one...
So, the Moses basket, tucked cosily next to our bed, on Muslin Mummy's side of course, was sleepspot number one. Not that she stayed there long, much preferring the snuggle-on-nice-warm-parent option.
This worked OK for a few weeks (weeks, note...this is not a cost-effective option, so try to beg or borrow one), and then her aunt pointed out that her favourite sleeping position is splayed out like a starfish (usually in the middle of her parents' bed), and that she was having to spread her arms up the sides of the basket. Time to move her to the cot.
A cot is bigger than a Moses basket, and smaller than a cotbed (which turns into a bed for a toddler). See how you can buy two more items here (plus cot bedding, and mattress, and mattress protector, for each)?
So we went straight for the cotbed, hopefully usable till she's four or so. Right now, the Hungry Mouth needs about a quarter of it. But it does hold a cot-top changer (cunningly carpented by the Hungry Mouth's dad).
Notice how I didn't say she actually sleeps in any of these places. Not for long, anyway. Though the sling is good for soothing and for naps.
Mostly she sleeps in Our Bed. Between her adoring, warm, tense parents. Who have to tuck their pillows far away, not have any duvet on their top halves, and sleep very, very lightly (still better than not at all) so as not to squash her...but on the plus side, she drops off like a lamb, and does not do any of the thrashing about she does in her cotbed, which is audible from our bedroom, and banishes all parental sleep. And we can gaze at her charming countenance every time we blink awake.
When she was newborn, the Hungry Mouth was so curled up and tiny that she would have been lost in any cot...and also there was no room in our bedroom to put one...
So, the Moses basket, tucked cosily next to our bed, on Muslin Mummy's side of course, was sleepspot number one. Not that she stayed there long, much preferring the snuggle-on-nice-warm-parent option.
This worked OK for a few weeks (weeks, note...this is not a cost-effective option, so try to beg or borrow one), and then her aunt pointed out that her favourite sleeping position is splayed out like a starfish (usually in the middle of her parents' bed), and that she was having to spread her arms up the sides of the basket. Time to move her to the cot.
A cot is bigger than a Moses basket, and smaller than a cotbed (which turns into a bed for a toddler). See how you can buy two more items here (plus cot bedding, and mattress, and mattress protector, for each)?
So we went straight for the cotbed, hopefully usable till she's four or so. Right now, the Hungry Mouth needs about a quarter of it. But it does hold a cot-top changer (cunningly carpented by the Hungry Mouth's dad).
Notice how I didn't say she actually sleeps in any of these places. Not for long, anyway. Though the sling is good for soothing and for naps.
Mostly she sleeps in Our Bed. Between her adoring, warm, tense parents. Who have to tuck their pillows far away, not have any duvet on their top halves, and sleep very, very lightly (still better than not at all) so as not to squash her...but on the plus side, she drops off like a lamb, and does not do any of the thrashing about she does in her cotbed, which is audible from our bedroom, and banishes all parental sleep. And we can gaze at her charming countenance every time we blink awake.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Transporting the Hungry Mouth
So many baby transportation systems, so hard to choose! And so expensive!
In my naivety, I'd not realised that newborns have to lie flat for a few months after birth (y'know, they can't hold those big, wobbly heads up). This one fact alone can double your expenditure on baby travel appliances. Newborns like to be cosily curled up, especially in winter, and anxious new moms like to be able to see them as they're pushed along (in Maclarens the baby does not face backward), so...
Hello, all the pushable carrycot-on-wheels kind of systems...which have their pros and cons. I can't go into too much detail, because I didn't get one. They all have a heavy wheeled base that you can clip a carseat or a carrycot onto, and sometimes also another kind of seat for when the baby's older. They are expensive though.
Anyhow, those carseat-on-wheels, 3-in-1 kind of systems are fine till your rapidly extending offspring needs to sit up a bit and face outward, or gets too long for the carrycot bit, or, hey, summer arrives and it's too hot in there...or you want to take the Tube and nobody offers to help you carry the pram upstairs...all of which happens in only a few months at most, and is why I didn't get one.
So now it's time to go a-shopping for one of those baby-moving devices that can be lifted by a still weak and wobbly mom, and folded in a trice, and fits onto public transport. Yes, a Maclaren. They have a million models, but they all do all of the above. Plus, you CAN use one from birth.
Now, you do legally HAVE to have a baby carseat if you transport your baby in a car, so unless you plan to walk everywhere or only catch black cabs (a legal loophole means you're allowed to clutch your baby unsafely on your lap in these cars only), you are gonna shell out for a moulded vehicle safety system that your baby will outgrow in a year or less. And then buy another, slightly bigger one. And so on. No getting out of this one. Breaking the law ain't good news, and the Parental Fear (of killing the precious li'l thing accidentally or through neglect) will prevent you from wanting to, anyway.
A baby sling is nice. Especially in the first few weeks to months, while your baby's light to carry and really wants to be next to you a lot. You will find that while wearing the sling, many everyday tasks are possible, though awkward, and will take you much longer. Doing the washing up or getting clothes out of the washing machine are particularly tricky. Short walks are convenient and it's nice to feel your baby snuggled up next to you...she may even fall asleep as you tromp around the local park yet again, hoping she'll stop fussing before you trip over a root and squash her (see Parental Fear, above).
Finally, there's always Baby Parrot Perch...this is where your baby has learned to hold onto your neck with one hand and your hair with the other, and would much rather travel supported just by your one arm, looking backwards over your shoulder, while you try to steer the pram (loaded with shopping) with the other. Grizzles magically turn to happy chirps in your ear, and hey, you're building muscles in your arms, right?
In my naivety, I'd not realised that newborns have to lie flat for a few months after birth (y'know, they can't hold those big, wobbly heads up). This one fact alone can double your expenditure on baby travel appliances. Newborns like to be cosily curled up, especially in winter, and anxious new moms like to be able to see them as they're pushed along (in Maclarens the baby does not face backward), so...
Hello, all the pushable carrycot-on-wheels kind of systems...which have their pros and cons. I can't go into too much detail, because I didn't get one. They all have a heavy wheeled base that you can clip a carseat or a carrycot onto, and sometimes also another kind of seat for when the baby's older. They are expensive though.
Anyhow, those carseat-on-wheels, 3-in-1 kind of systems are fine till your rapidly extending offspring needs to sit up a bit and face outward, or gets too long for the carrycot bit, or, hey, summer arrives and it's too hot in there...or you want to take the Tube and nobody offers to help you carry the pram upstairs...all of which happens in only a few months at most, and is why I didn't get one.
So now it's time to go a-shopping for one of those baby-moving devices that can be lifted by a still weak and wobbly mom, and folded in a trice, and fits onto public transport. Yes, a Maclaren. They have a million models, but they all do all of the above. Plus, you CAN use one from birth.
Now, you do legally HAVE to have a baby carseat if you transport your baby in a car, so unless you plan to walk everywhere or only catch black cabs (a legal loophole means you're allowed to clutch your baby unsafely on your lap in these cars only), you are gonna shell out for a moulded vehicle safety system that your baby will outgrow in a year or less. And then buy another, slightly bigger one. And so on. No getting out of this one. Breaking the law ain't good news, and the Parental Fear (of killing the precious li'l thing accidentally or through neglect) will prevent you from wanting to, anyway.
A baby sling is nice. Especially in the first few weeks to months, while your baby's light to carry and really wants to be next to you a lot. You will find that while wearing the sling, many everyday tasks are possible, though awkward, and will take you much longer. Doing the washing up or getting clothes out of the washing machine are particularly tricky. Short walks are convenient and it's nice to feel your baby snuggled up next to you...she may even fall asleep as you tromp around the local park yet again, hoping she'll stop fussing before you trip over a root and squash her (see Parental Fear, above).
Finally, there's always Baby Parrot Perch...this is where your baby has learned to hold onto your neck with one hand and your hair with the other, and would much rather travel supported just by your one arm, looking backwards over your shoulder, while you try to steer the pram (loaded with shopping) with the other. Grizzles magically turn to happy chirps in your ear, and hey, you're building muscles in your arms, right?
Sunday, 13 July 2008
What they don’t really mention about breastfeeding
The Hungry Mouth is about 3 months old now, and it is a convenience and a pleasure to breastfeed her. When I'm out and about, I mostly use the cradle hold. I can also let her feed inside a Baby Bjorn sling, or kneeling on my lap. But at home she seems to feed more calmly and thoroughly if we both lie down – this position needs no hands, if I want to read, for example. (Mamaway's nursing tops are great, and also wearing a stretchy vest under a wrap top works fine.)
I am sure everyone is aware of the benefits of breastfeeding – essentially, it's healthy for the baby and the mum, and cheaper, and convenient. Incidentally these benefits in my opinion, speak for themselves – there's no need to make up other reasons – for example, it is just untrue that breastfed babies don't need to burp, or that they're more likely to attend an Oxbridge uni! But it never seems to be mentioned enough that once the mum's nipples don't hurt any more and once the baby's learned how to latch, it is actually a pleasure to breastfeed. Even before then, I found a great feeling of satisfaction in feeding my baby.
Having said all this, it's undeniably horribly tiring and painful at first. It is incredibly timeconsuming (I worked out that at one point I was feeding for a total of 8 hours in every 24), and my nipples felt like they were on fire most of the time. I recommend Lansinoh cream (or any pure lanolin). My nipples stopped hurting at about 5 weeks but it can take longer. I was extremely thirsty, and felt limp after every feed at first. Plus it's undeniably messy to have leaking breasts and a milk-dribbling baby! So I can very well understand how many mums stop breastfeeding, or never start (if they don't get good support from a midwife or their partner, for example, or just don't fancy the idea).
I am sure everyone is aware of the benefits of breastfeeding – essentially, it's healthy for the baby and the mum, and cheaper, and convenient. Incidentally these benefits in my opinion, speak for themselves – there's no need to make up other reasons – for example, it is just untrue that breastfed babies don't need to burp, or that they're more likely to attend an Oxbridge uni! But it never seems to be mentioned enough that once the mum's nipples don't hurt any more and once the baby's learned how to latch, it is actually a pleasure to breastfeed. Even before then, I found a great feeling of satisfaction in feeding my baby.
Having said all this, it's undeniably horribly tiring and painful at first. It is incredibly timeconsuming (I worked out that at one point I was feeding for a total of 8 hours in every 24), and my nipples felt like they were on fire most of the time. I recommend Lansinoh cream (or any pure lanolin). My nipples stopped hurting at about 5 weeks but it can take longer. I was extremely thirsty, and felt limp after every feed at first. Plus it's undeniably messy to have leaking breasts and a milk-dribbling baby! So I can very well understand how many mums stop breastfeeding, or never start (if they don't get good support from a midwife or their partner, for example, or just don't fancy the idea).
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Taking baby to the pictures
This isn't really a movie review of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – it's easy enough to find out all about Indy's long-awaited return elsewhere. It's more about taking your newborn along to a cinema…something which I wasn't too sure about. I hadn't accompanied a child to the movies since I was a child myself, so I wasn't too sure what the rules are about taking babies in. I'd heard about 'Mother and Baby' screenings from a friend, so I asked cinema staff whether they did any. Apparently, the Mother and Baby screenings are usually on one weekday morning, and the only different thing about such screenings is that the CCTV cameras are turned off so that there is more privacy for mothers wishing to breastfeed. This did sound appealing, but they added that babies are welcome - and free - in any screening that is not age-restricted anyway. Luckily Indiana Jones is rated 12A, so, as I'd obviously be accompanying my 8-week-old daughter, she would be admitted to any screening. I decided to go to a normal screening with my husband and my sister - for extra baby support, and anyway they wanted to see the film too. We were not allowed to take the pram in with us; it was stored in a locked room by staff. We were prepared for this possibility, and had brought the baby sling. I chose an aisle seat in case I had to rush out, and we settled down to enjoy the film. The sound seemed very loud, but my baby did not seem to mind. She snuggled quietly on our laps for quite a while. When she got hungry, I breastfed her, while continuing to watch, with no problem. My husband burped her, and she settled down again. But then we heard the sudden rattle of machinegun fire, and it wasn't coming from the screen! I decided to take her out immediately to change her, and that's when I remembered that the change bag was still in the pram. Luckily, I carry an emergency nappy and a few wipes in my own bag, just in case…so I didn't have to waste precious Indy minutes seeking the key to the room the pram was stored in. The change facilities were fine, and soon I was back in the cinema. So all in all, not an overly traumatic experience, though it certainly could be if your baby were to cry inconsolably throughout…
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Muslin Mummy's easy apple cake recipe
Amaze your mummy friends with the fruits of seemingly hours of hard baking labour...this very easy cake is also delicious and quite healthy, really. Apples, y'know. I got it via a couple of colleagues and messed it up a bit so it's not as sweet...
For the cakey bit:
4 oz butter or margarine
2 oz caster sugar
8 oz self-raising flour
pinch of salt
1 large egg, beaten
For the appley bit:
3/4 lb cooking apples, peeled and chopped
handful of mixed dried fruit
level teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 oz Demerara sugar
Use one of those silicon baking dishes about 7-inches across and grease it a bit
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4 (350oF/180oC)
Melt the butter or margarine in a pan over a low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the caster sugar, beaten egg and sifted flour and salt to make a fairly stiff consistency mixture.
Turn two-thirds of the cakey mixture into the tin and spread it to the sides, making the surface level.
Mix appley stuff together and scatter this over the cake base, then sprinkle over the Demerara sugar. Dot the remaining cake mixture over the filling (it will not cover the top completely).
Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until the cake is cooked and a light golden brown colour. Leave it in the tin for about 10 minutes to cool slightly, then peel away silicon. Serve warm as a pudding, or cold as a cake.
For the cakey bit:
4 oz butter or margarine
2 oz caster sugar
8 oz self-raising flour
pinch of salt
1 large egg, beaten
For the appley bit:
3/4 lb cooking apples, peeled and chopped
handful of mixed dried fruit
level teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 oz Demerara sugar
Use one of those silicon baking dishes about 7-inches across and grease it a bit
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4 (350oF/180oC)
Melt the butter or margarine in a pan over a low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the caster sugar, beaten egg and sifted flour and salt to make a fairly stiff consistency mixture.
Turn two-thirds of the cakey mixture into the tin and spread it to the sides, making the surface level.
Mix appley stuff together and scatter this over the cake base, then sprinkle over the Demerara sugar. Dot the remaining cake mixture over the filling (it will not cover the top completely).
Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until the cake is cooked and a light golden brown colour. Leave it in the tin for about 10 minutes to cool slightly, then peel away silicon. Serve warm as a pudding, or cold as a cake.
Monday, 7 July 2008
Acupuncture before birth
Needles stuck into tender bits? Yikes! Who would ever agree?
But with a hubby who's training to do it for a living...and various pregnancy-related aches and pains...I was finally persuaded to be a guinea pig. The needles are extremely skinny so it really need not hurt in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing. What you should feel is a kind of tingling connection as the acu-point is activated. But I did have to keep still, otherwise the needles could have bent and that is apparently highly undesirable.
Regular acupressure (like acupuncture but no needles, just fingers) in the form of shiatsu through early to mid-pregnancy was very helpful in reducing the constant nausea and weariness I felt. After that wore off, and once I became less mobile, shiatsu was great for stretching me out and reducing tension. On the whole I had a problem-free pregnancy, but in the last trimester I suffered a bit from pain in my symphysis pubis, especially at night, trying to struggle out of bed or turning over. That's where acupuncture came in - we chose 3 or 4 points that are supposed to help with such ligamentary pain. And for several days after each needle session, the pain was much relieved.
When my due date was approaching so we used a few specific acupuncture points to prepare for labour every week from 36 weeks: to ripen the cervix, for stamina and to soften my ligaments. Who can say how things would have been different if we'd not made a pincushion out of me...but all went well, so I can only recommend it!
Shiatsu birth story
My husband and I are both shiatsu therapists so we were keen to see what shiatsu (acupressure massage) could do to reduce labour pain. I was pretty annoyed to be overdue – I really wanted to give birth in a birth centre or even at home, rather than in hospital (let’s just say the hospital tour was grim, and so were the tales of recently postpartum pals). But on the eighth day after my due date, I had period-like cramps from midafternoon, which faded away in the evening. I assumed it was nothing and we had a normal evening of eating dinner and watching TV, and went to sleep at about 11-30pm (if we'd only known, we'd have turned in a lot earlier!).
About 1-30am I started feeling mild contractions about 10 minutes apart, and after the sixth figured I should get up and see if the TENS machine worked. I can really vouch for it; I did not think it would work but it really helped a lot. My contractions then became 5 minutes apart, so we phoned the birth centre. By the time we arrived there they were coming 3 minutes or so apart, and that's more-or-less how they stayed for the next 15 hours.
We ( I say ‘we’, but really it was all my hubby’s hard work) used shiatsu throughout my labour (I was a bit busy doing some other hard work). I found that a combination of TENS machine, Entonox (gas-and-air) and strong accurate pressure on points on the foot or on the sacrum was necessary for each contraction. There was a very noticeable (50%) decrease in pain on application of the pressure, which had to be tirelessly applied by hubby’s fingers and thumbs. I think most dads probably get to take a break or two during their partner's labour…but not this one! We also missed three meals, though he fed me mini chocs and apple juice through a straw.) I used the birth pool for four hours while I dilated from 5 to 8 cm, which was great – I obviously could not use the TENS machine while in the water, but the effect of the water was equivalent to the TENS machine. Plus it was easier to move around, and had a refreshing effect so I felt clean. Entonox was also very helpful.
Despite tales of how my personality would suddenly undergo a violent change during the transition from first to second stage, we didn’t really notice it, possibly because I also had pethidine around then. It didn't make me feel queasy luckily, just a bit spaced out, which did help. I think that's also when my waters broke naturally, with a strange popping sound in the middle of a contraction. I had insisted they not be broken artificially in case that led to a ‘cascade of interventions’, ending in an epidural. But by the time I was fully dilated I was too tired to push effectively, sadly. The Hungry Mouth was finally born with the help of a kiwi (ventouse) suction cup as she was still positioned rather high after 2 hours of pushing - sadly with a small episiotomy. Incidentally I accidentally left the TENS machine on full blast all through the stitching, and I'm sure it helped a lot!
I agreed to the syntocinon drip, and the placenta came out within a couple of minutes. The drip took about an hour to run through, which seemed a long time to have a needle in the back of my hand, but we weren't really paying too much attention because we were admiring our baby and giving her her first feed of colostrum. The midwife helped me get her latched, and advised me to stroke her ear if she lost concentration on slurping - a handy hint! After that another midwife came to help me shower and hubby got to dress Samantha Ruth in her very first clothes.
I do seem to have used a lot of different methods of pain relief …but my impression is that my pain was very well managed, all the methods we used were useful and needed, and I never felt that I couldn't cope with the pain, just that I was getting very tired and wanted it to be all over by the time it came to pushing. I had wanted to avoid all interventions, but particularly an epidural, so I feel that all went pretty well on the whole. You just can't plan everything in advance!!
I was given a painkiller after birth, so the first night I was not in pain at all, and it was a wonderful night, in spite of the fact that hubby had to go home without us. I did not sleep much, but I didn't really want to – I felt so comfy and whenever I looked up at the bassinet I could see my brand-new baby. In the middle of the night I was concerned by the snuffling noises she was making (totally normal, but I didn't know that yet), and called a midwife, who kindly helped me change her for the first time. Meconium was everywhere so I was glad I'd packed extra baby clothes for the hospital!
About 1-30am I started feeling mild contractions about 10 minutes apart, and after the sixth figured I should get up and see if the TENS machine worked. I can really vouch for it; I did not think it would work but it really helped a lot. My contractions then became 5 minutes apart, so we phoned the birth centre. By the time we arrived there they were coming 3 minutes or so apart, and that's more-or-less how they stayed for the next 15 hours.
We ( I say ‘we’, but really it was all my hubby’s hard work) used shiatsu throughout my labour (I was a bit busy doing some other hard work). I found that a combination of TENS machine, Entonox (gas-and-air) and strong accurate pressure on points on the foot or on the sacrum was necessary for each contraction. There was a very noticeable (50%) decrease in pain on application of the pressure, which had to be tirelessly applied by hubby’s fingers and thumbs. I think most dads probably get to take a break or two during their partner's labour…but not this one! We also missed three meals, though he fed me mini chocs and apple juice through a straw.) I used the birth pool for four hours while I dilated from 5 to 8 cm, which was great – I obviously could not use the TENS machine while in the water, but the effect of the water was equivalent to the TENS machine. Plus it was easier to move around, and had a refreshing effect so I felt clean. Entonox was also very helpful.
Despite tales of how my personality would suddenly undergo a violent change during the transition from first to second stage, we didn’t really notice it, possibly because I also had pethidine around then. It didn't make me feel queasy luckily, just a bit spaced out, which did help. I think that's also when my waters broke naturally, with a strange popping sound in the middle of a contraction. I had insisted they not be broken artificially in case that led to a ‘cascade of interventions’, ending in an epidural. But by the time I was fully dilated I was too tired to push effectively, sadly. The Hungry Mouth was finally born with the help of a kiwi (ventouse) suction cup as she was still positioned rather high after 2 hours of pushing - sadly with a small episiotomy. Incidentally I accidentally left the TENS machine on full blast all through the stitching, and I'm sure it helped a lot!
I agreed to the syntocinon drip, and the placenta came out within a couple of minutes. The drip took about an hour to run through, which seemed a long time to have a needle in the back of my hand, but we weren't really paying too much attention because we were admiring our baby and giving her her first feed of colostrum. The midwife helped me get her latched, and advised me to stroke her ear if she lost concentration on slurping - a handy hint! After that another midwife came to help me shower and hubby got to dress Samantha Ruth in her very first clothes.
I do seem to have used a lot of different methods of pain relief …but my impression is that my pain was very well managed, all the methods we used were useful and needed, and I never felt that I couldn't cope with the pain, just that I was getting very tired and wanted it to be all over by the time it came to pushing. I had wanted to avoid all interventions, but particularly an epidural, so I feel that all went pretty well on the whole. You just can't plan everything in advance!!
I was given a painkiller after birth, so the first night I was not in pain at all, and it was a wonderful night, in spite of the fact that hubby had to go home without us. I did not sleep much, but I didn't really want to – I felt so comfy and whenever I looked up at the bassinet I could see my brand-new baby. In the middle of the night I was concerned by the snuffling noises she was making (totally normal, but I didn't know that yet), and called a midwife, who kindly helped me change her for the first time. Meconium was everywhere so I was glad I'd packed extra baby clothes for the hospital!
Easier than advertised!
On the whole, this looking after a baby thing seems easier than advertised! Maybe the hard stuff is yet to come!
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