Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Breastfeeding Challenges- Recurring Mastitis
One of our awesome La Leche League (LLL) leaders sent me a ton of information on mastitis, potential causes, and repeat infections. Most or all of the information is available on KellyMom and on the LLL site. Some things that may be causing my troubles are the following:
1. Failure to fully recover from a previous case of mastitis
2. Anemia (I've been anemic my whole adult life, but with no menstruation I'm not sure if it's an issue currently.)
3. Sore and cracked nipples
4. Use of a nipple shield (She was off the shield until she got teeth recently. Now, she's back on because it dulls the impact of the bite.Ouch!)
5. Sleeping position- I sleep on my right side most of the night, snuggled up to M
I'm treating this current case with allopathic and homeopathic remedies. So far, this is what I've tried:
A. I'm on day two of a 10-day course of antibiotics
B. Hot compresses on the clogged duct- I use a sock filled with rice and warmed in the microwave
C. Fresh cabbage leaves applied directly to the breast to draw out infection (It sounds wacky, but even the doc at the walk-in clinic suggested this approach)
D. Ibuprofen- OTC dose whenever I have a fever- So far, 6 doses in 36 hours
E. Tablespoon of soy lecithin- I mix it in with applesauce or oatmeal
F. Lots of vitamin C- I've been drinking EmergenC
G. Most important- Nursing frequently on the infected side with M's chin in the direction of the clogged duct
Usually, that all works, but I'm still feeling pretty crummy and having difficulty clearing out the clogged duct. This evening (Sunday), I called my family doctor to make an appointment for tomorrow morning. I'm hoping I'm better by then, but just in case, I want to nip this in the bud.
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| M having a snack |
For some nursing pairs, breastfeeding comes easily and has few challenges. For M and me, it's been a bit more difficult. While the benefits still far outweigh those challenges, some days I just want to give up. But that time is fleeting. There are so many great reasons to continue to breastfeed that I just look for solutions to our struggles.
I have had mastitis 4 or 5 times in the eight months since M's birth. I've lost count. Each experience has been different. Sometimes, it's accompanied with a very high fever and delerium, sometimes not much worse than a cold and some soreness. My most recent bout of mastitis started yesterday morning around 4 when I noticed that it hurt while M was nursing. At 4 a.m., that didn't matter too much. We went right back to sleep. By the time we woke for the day, it hurt an awful lot, I was swollen and red, and I knew it was mastitis. Some resources recommend homeopathic treatments as the first course of action when symptoms occur, but since my case is recurring, I go straight to the doc. (I don't want it to become an abscess.)
One of our awesome La Leche League (LLL) leaders sent me a ton of information on mastitis, potential causes, and repeat infections. Most or all of the information is available on KellyMom and on the LLL site. Some things that may be causing my troubles are the following:
1. Failure to fully recover from a previous case of mastitis
2. Anemia (I've been anemic my whole adult life, but with no menstruation I'm not sure if it's an issue currently.)
3. Sore and cracked nipples
4. Use of a nipple shield (She was off the shield until she got teeth recently. Now, she's back on because it dulls the impact of the bite.Ouch!)
5. Sleeping position- I sleep on my right side most of the night, snuggled up to M
I'm treating this current case with allopathic and homeopathic remedies. So far, this is what I've tried:
A. I'm on day two of a 10-day course of antibiotics
B. Hot compresses on the clogged duct- I use a sock filled with rice and warmed in the microwave
C. Fresh cabbage leaves applied directly to the breast to draw out infection (It sounds wacky, but even the doc at the walk-in clinic suggested this approach)
D. Ibuprofen- OTC dose whenever I have a fever- So far, 6 doses in 36 hours
E. Tablespoon of soy lecithin- I mix it in with applesauce or oatmeal
F. Lots of vitamin C- I've been drinking EmergenC
G. Most important- Nursing frequently on the infected side with M's chin in the direction of the clogged duct
Usually, that all works, but I'm still feeling pretty crummy and having difficulty clearing out the clogged duct. This evening (Sunday), I called my family doctor to make an appointment for tomorrow morning. I'm hoping I'm better by then, but just in case, I want to nip this in the bud.
Update
I never was able to get into my doctor's office. When I called for an appointment, the nurse called back saying to use a hot compress and take tylenol. :/ I don't think she gave the doctor all of the information I shared, but ultimately it worked out fine. It took the full course of antibiotics to get rid of the infection. And despite taking a probiotic and eating plenty of greek yogurt, I now have thrush. More on treating thrush later...
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Affordable Cat Maintenance
Last night, I got into my hazmat gear (read: grungy pajama bottoms and handkerchief over my face) and reclaimed my role as germ eliminator. While B was in charge of things, I let him make the decisions about what to buy, how frequently to clean, etc. But I think I have a cheaper and more effective method.
First, we were getting a 40 lb container of clumping cat litter at the local wholesale club for about $21. It's dusty, has a perfume odor, and after the cats use it, leaves an ammonia smell behind. Ick! When the fluff balls were kittens, I used Feline Pine, but that was before all of the other expenses associated with home ownership, having a child, and only one income. I did some digging and found something that looks and smells a lot like the Feline Pine: Equine Fresh. I don't know how similar the products are in reality, but I wouldn't know the difference if it weren't for the label. Here's the great news: Equine Fresh is $5 for a 40 lb bag at the local Tractor Supply! Woo-hoo!
After doing a massive clean-up downstairs, I filled the litter box with some of the pellets. I also bought a second litter box and placed it across the room and filled it with the new litter. So far, the basement is back to smelling like basement and a little like woodshop. Not great, but a vast improvement over the ammonia odor. However, I did get the daily poop gift just outside the box. I'm hoping it's just that one of the cats got used to the space and will learn to go back to the box. (B was not diligent about keeping things clean, and the poop surprises started as the result of unclean litter.)
If you have tips to help, I'd appreciate it!
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| Johann and Wolfgang |
In addition to Miss M, we have 3 furry kids: Wolfgang, Johann, and Duke. They're two big fat cats and a huge puppy. I adopted the kitties 6 years ago, when they were rowdy kittens. In six years, those poor cats have moved 3 times, got an annoying big brother (Duke), and now have a very curious 8-month-old who has discovered how to pull fur out by the fistfull.
Although they put up with all of this change without much fuss, we did develop a litter box problem. Their restroom was relegated to the basement last January, in preparation for the new babe. Ventilation is poor down there, and while I was pregnant, B was in charge of the litter changes. (Risk of toxoplasmosis.) B, ever interested in minimizing the workload and shrinking the budget, cut some corners that led to an odor problem. Then a marking problem. Now, they regularly poop outside the box. I can't begin to express how this grosses me out. Last night, I got into my hazmat gear (read: grungy pajama bottoms and handkerchief over my face) and reclaimed my role as germ eliminator. While B was in charge of things, I let him make the decisions about what to buy, how frequently to clean, etc. But I think I have a cheaper and more effective method.
First, we were getting a 40 lb container of clumping cat litter at the local wholesale club for about $21. It's dusty, has a perfume odor, and after the cats use it, leaves an ammonia smell behind. Ick! When the fluff balls were kittens, I used Feline Pine, but that was before all of the other expenses associated with home ownership, having a child, and only one income. I did some digging and found something that looks and smells a lot like the Feline Pine: Equine Fresh. I don't know how similar the products are in reality, but I wouldn't know the difference if it weren't for the label. Here's the great news: Equine Fresh is $5 for a 40 lb bag at the local Tractor Supply! Woo-hoo!
After doing a massive clean-up downstairs, I filled the litter box with some of the pellets. I also bought a second litter box and placed it across the room and filled it with the new litter. So far, the basement is back to smelling like basement and a little like woodshop. Not great, but a vast improvement over the ammonia odor. However, I did get the daily poop gift just outside the box. I'm hoping it's just that one of the cats got used to the space and will learn to go back to the box. (B was not diligent about keeping things clean, and the poop surprises started as the result of unclean litter.)
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Bath Time
M does not like baths. She never has. I've tried the sink, the little bucket, with a sponge pad, without a sponge pad, in the tub with me...I don't know if it's sliding around and getting all slippery that bugs her. Maybe we keep our house too cool. Who knows? If you have tips to help an 8 month old enjoy bath time, please share!
In the mean time, M gets a sponge bath for her clean-up routine. I sit her on a diaper on her changing pad, and she gets all lathered up. I keep a cup of warm water beside me and rinse with a different warm, wet cloth. For now, it works.
Speaking of bath time, there is a great resource available online for folks who like to know what is in the typical baby shampoo and other products. It's called the Cosmetics Database, and you can type in specific searches or just browse products. By law, companies are not required to disclose certain ingredients (like what makes up the generic label, 'fragrance'). But they do have to disclose some ingredients that aren't considered trade secrets. This website offers a database compiling information about known effects of each individual ingredient since the product testing results are confidential.
The reason I found it handy was because I discovered that the high end 'natural' diaper cream I was buying at the local health food store was no better than regular old Desitin. And that the soap I was using for the baby was worse than my own body soap. Having shunned vaseline because it was a petroleum product, I realized it was one of the safest items out there to act as a barrier cream. Of course, it's still a petroleum product... Look for a post soon with homemade soap, shampoo, lotions, and even diaper cream! (All 100% natural and safe)
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| Getting ready for bath |
In the mean time, M gets a sponge bath for her clean-up routine. I sit her on a diaper on her changing pad, and she gets all lathered up. I keep a cup of warm water beside me and rinse with a different warm, wet cloth. For now, it works.
Speaking of bath time, there is a great resource available online for folks who like to know what is in the typical baby shampoo and other products. It's called the Cosmetics Database, and you can type in specific searches or just browse products. By law, companies are not required to disclose certain ingredients (like what makes up the generic label, 'fragrance'). But they do have to disclose some ingredients that aren't considered trade secrets. This website offers a database compiling information about known effects of each individual ingredient since the product testing results are confidential.
The reason I found it handy was because I discovered that the high end 'natural' diaper cream I was buying at the local health food store was no better than regular old Desitin. And that the soap I was using for the baby was worse than my own body soap. Having shunned vaseline because it was a petroleum product, I realized it was one of the safest items out there to act as a barrier cream. Of course, it's still a petroleum product... Look for a post soon with homemade soap, shampoo, lotions, and even diaper cream! (All 100% natural and safe)
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Cloth Diapers and Homemade Detergent
Lately, I've had a number of friends ask about M's cloth diapers and our homemade laundry detergent. Despite making me sound like a tree-hugging nut (I am) with too much time on my hands (maybe), it's actually very easy and wicked cheap. It works well for anyone interested in saving a ton of money on baby items. We have spent less than $200 on diapers, and M is equipped through next year. The cost of laundering the pre-folds is about $4/month. Did I mention that we have had 3 poop explosions in 8 months? And that was only because we accidentally left a gap in the leg. Otherwise, our poop explosion count would be zero. What's not to love?
Laundry Detergent: I'll start here because our laundry detergent can be used on all laundry and costs less than one cent per load. It takes about 15 minutes to put together and lasts a couple of months (laundry for three people plus diapers).
Ingredients:
1 bar of soap- I use ivory because it's easy to find at the grocery
1 cup washing soda- this is different from baking soda
1/2 cup borax
5 gallon bucket- we use an empty cat-litter bucket
1. Boil four cups of water on the stove
2. Grate bar of soap into boiling water and stir, while boiling, until soap has dissolved
3. Pour 3 gallons of hot water from that tap into a 5 gallon container. Add the boiled soap solution to the hot water.
4. Pour in washing soda and stir until dissolved.
5. Pour in borax and stir until dissolved.
6. Set container aside and let sit overnight.
7. The next morning, stir mixture again. A thick gel will have formed at the top; just stir to break up gel.
You can keep the detergent in the 5 gallon container or reuse old detergent bottles. I prefer the latter because the mixture needs to be shaken or stirred (ha-ha) before each use, and the cup is already there to measure the detergent.
This formula works with high-efficiency washers because it is low-sudsing, naturally. (Suds are an added gimmick. Don't take my word for it; Google it and you'll see what I mean.)
Diapers: There are a million options out there for cloth diapers. I'm just going to plug what we prefer for our kiddo based on quality and cost-effectiveness. Pre-folds, in my opinion, are the best in terms of ease-of-use and budget-friendliness.
You can get cheaper pre-folds, but we buy ours from Green Mountain Diapers (GMD). I buy the unbleached organic cotton, but they have cheaper options. I prefer this style because they are wider and shorter for each size. This seems to fit our girl better. She's a skinny-mini, so I don't know how the typical, narrow pre-fold suits the chunky babes. In addition to great diapers, their washing instructions are my diapering bible. They have a solution for every issue. GMD is also a great, small-business. I love to support small businesses!
We use Imse Vimse covers because they are soft, quiet, don't allow leaks, and each size seems to fit for a long time. My only complaint is that the elastic wears easily. (We dry them in the dryer, which is against the manufacturer's recommendation.) We'll have to buy new covers for the next baby.
Laundering the Diapers: We use about a cap full of detergent for each load of diapers (24 prefolds and a cover or two). We also use 2 tablespoons of oxygen bleach. Because we have soft water and a high-efficiency washer, this helps brighten the diapers and completely eliminates urine odors. I equate diaper laundry with Barry's smelly soccer clothes. They need something a little extra. It amounts to $0.25 per load ($4/month). We prefer pure oxygen bleach. The only option we've found that you can buy without being a wholesaler is Ecover. It's non-chlorine and 100% natural. Not all families need this addition, but we do best with it.
We dry our pre-folds and covers in the dryer despite recommendations against it. We just don't have a good space in the yard for hanging laundry because our great dane eats fabric. And, being a great dane, there's no space out of his reach. ;)
Laundry Detergent: I'll start here because our laundry detergent can be used on all laundry and costs less than one cent per load. It takes about 15 minutes to put together and lasts a couple of months (laundry for three people plus diapers).
Ingredients:
1 bar of soap- I use ivory because it's easy to find at the grocery
1 cup washing soda- this is different from baking soda
1/2 cup borax
5 gallon bucket- we use an empty cat-litter bucket
1. Boil four cups of water on the stove
2. Grate bar of soap into boiling water and stir, while boiling, until soap has dissolved
3. Pour 3 gallons of hot water from that tap into a 5 gallon container. Add the boiled soap solution to the hot water.
4. Pour in washing soda and stir until dissolved.
5. Pour in borax and stir until dissolved.
6. Set container aside and let sit overnight.
7. The next morning, stir mixture again. A thick gel will have formed at the top; just stir to break up gel.
You can keep the detergent in the 5 gallon container or reuse old detergent bottles. I prefer the latter because the mixture needs to be shaken or stirred (ha-ha) before each use, and the cup is already there to measure the detergent.
This formula works with high-efficiency washers because it is low-sudsing, naturally. (Suds are an added gimmick. Don't take my word for it; Google it and you'll see what I mean.)
Diapers: There are a million options out there for cloth diapers. I'm just going to plug what we prefer for our kiddo based on quality and cost-effectiveness. Pre-folds, in my opinion, are the best in terms of ease-of-use and budget-friendliness.
You can get cheaper pre-folds, but we buy ours from Green Mountain Diapers (GMD). I buy the unbleached organic cotton, but they have cheaper options. I prefer this style because they are wider and shorter for each size. This seems to fit our girl better. She's a skinny-mini, so I don't know how the typical, narrow pre-fold suits the chunky babes. In addition to great diapers, their washing instructions are my diapering bible. They have a solution for every issue. GMD is also a great, small-business. I love to support small businesses!
We use Imse Vimse covers because they are soft, quiet, don't allow leaks, and each size seems to fit for a long time. My only complaint is that the elastic wears easily. (We dry them in the dryer, which is against the manufacturer's recommendation.) We'll have to buy new covers for the next baby.
 |
| M in her Imse Vimse Photo by Shawn Pierce |
Laundering the Diapers: We use about a cap full of detergent for each load of diapers (24 prefolds and a cover or two). We also use 2 tablespoons of oxygen bleach. Because we have soft water and a high-efficiency washer, this helps brighten the diapers and completely eliminates urine odors. I equate diaper laundry with Barry's smelly soccer clothes. They need something a little extra. It amounts to $0.25 per load ($4/month). We prefer pure oxygen bleach. The only option we've found that you can buy without being a wholesaler is Ecover. It's non-chlorine and 100% natural. Not all families need this addition, but we do best with it.
We dry our pre-folds and covers in the dryer despite recommendations against it. We just don't have a good space in the yard for hanging laundry because our great dane eats fabric. And, being a great dane, there's no space out of his reach. ;)
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