Joaquin is sitting quietly in his high chair having some vegemite toast (wholemeal bread made lovingly by my mother every morning), he already has had his oats and his bottle of milk and his morning breastfeed at 9am.
The racing cars are on tv, something my dad watches religiously every Sunday morning. Joaquin is watching the cars while eating his toast. He just said Dada and I think he misses his daddy.
He calls his grandfather ta-t-ta, after my dad yelled one day "Los perros se quedan afuera" (the dogs should stay outside) and Joaquin tries to mimic him but only gets ta tat ta ta ta ta. Now every day and moment he sees his granddad (abuelo) he says Ta-ta, so maybe my dad will be known as Abuelo Ta-ta.
Abuelo Ta-ta said he will take Joaquin down to the Arroyo Esquel with his tricycle after he has finished his breakfast and as it is sunny outside I think it is a good idea. I am trying to catch up on writing and finishing my proof for a paper that is about to be published. Jason is in bed hopefully sleeping well after arriving this morning. Jason has written a beautiful email and I miss him so much.
I am feeling not too good, with a sore blocked ear and remnants of a sore throat and Joaquin woke up during the night crying and I tried to breastfeed back to sleep but he breastfed then I put him in his cot and he cried and as I am sleeping in a bed next to him he sees me there and calls out for me. So i finally got him to sleep by moving the cot with my hand, rocking it and he actually liked that and went to sleep.
I think he is still tired this morning, as he was upset when I opened the door of tha cabin with the keys, he wanted to have the keys and open the door himself. He then walked over to the car and tried to open the boot with the house keys. He is such a funny little boy, very persistent, and he knows what he wants. He is very creative and wants to learn about his world around him so much. At the same time he is cautious about what he does and actually thinks about things, you can tell by his facial expression and his eyes.
Showing posts with label breastfeeding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breastfeeding. Show all posts
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Monday, June 02, 2008
my little munch munch
I just put Joaquin down for a sleep, he had breast milk even though he secretly just wanted the milk bottle (we use glass now due to the dangers of using plastic that heats up). He loves a good bottle of milk, but he does like to breast feed as well at night I think. I am not sure if I have any milk left, maybe.
I have been eating Turkish delights with rose water, they are spectacular blocks of sweet pink softness and just leave a mixture of freshness and rosewater in my mouth, like eating solid pink bubbles. I am thinking what we will have for dinner tonight and how my teeth are starting to hurt from all that sugar in the turkish pink sugar bombs.
Oh well, I took Joaquin today to a family day care center near the university. The lady or carer was really nice, from the UK and has a 2 year old son with a welsh name. On Monday she cares for another little boy who is nearly 3 and soon will be off to preschool at the end of the month. There is a garden outside to play in the grass and sun, they do cooking and play games and do interactive activities such as paintings. Makes me feel like a bad mum as I do not do any of these things.
The carer call her J, said Joaquin had beautiful eyes and thought it was weird his eyes were already green, as "green is the color that forms last in eye color" well I did not know that, i did not even know you could tell he had green eyes. Jas and I say he has green or hazel eyes, based on the fact we both have green or hazel eyes.
The carer was also impressed I am still breast feeding J and said they are "pro breastfeeding" there. Which is good, I think.
I did like the atmosphere and "feeling" at J's family day care house and I am really thinking it would be good for Joaquin, but at the same time thinking do I really want someone else to care for my son while I am off at university looking at tiny insey winsey teeth and bones belonging to long dead mammals that are over 20 million years old?
I am not sure, I have to think about this.
After going to "check out" the family day care center I walked over to Uni and had lunch with K who is 20 weeks pregnant and saw the other members of the lab. Joaquin is always friendly and cute, he is shy at first but very placid and smily and loves playing trying to say everyone's names.
By the way it has been 20 min and he has not gone to sleep again, and was just crying and standing up on his cot trying to get the music box to play again. I had to calm him and put him back down in his cot, cover him with the blanket and put the music on again. I pat his tummy and he calms down, and then when I leave he cries. He has been crying the last few days when we put him down, he is starting to understand what bye bye and chau and when we leave him alone means. I am not sure if he is scared or just does not want to sleep.
He stood up by himself today for 5 secs and looked very natural. He will be walking soon I think. He also stood on the mini trampoline at the carer's house and held onto the bars and bent his knees and moved up and down .... jumped. He has never been on a trampoline before but he saw the two other boys on it before hand and wanted a go and just did what they were doing. Very perceptive I think. I love my little munch munch (his nick name the last few months)
I have been eating Turkish delights with rose water, they are spectacular blocks of sweet pink softness and just leave a mixture of freshness and rosewater in my mouth, like eating solid pink bubbles. I am thinking what we will have for dinner tonight and how my teeth are starting to hurt from all that sugar in the turkish pink sugar bombs.
Oh well, I took Joaquin today to a family day care center near the university. The lady or carer was really nice, from the UK and has a 2 year old son with a welsh name. On Monday she cares for another little boy who is nearly 3 and soon will be off to preschool at the end of the month. There is a garden outside to play in the grass and sun, they do cooking and play games and do interactive activities such as paintings. Makes me feel like a bad mum as I do not do any of these things.
The carer call her J, said Joaquin had beautiful eyes and thought it was weird his eyes were already green, as "green is the color that forms last in eye color" well I did not know that, i did not even know you could tell he had green eyes. Jas and I say he has green or hazel eyes, based on the fact we both have green or hazel eyes.
The carer was also impressed I am still breast feeding J and said they are "pro breastfeeding" there. Which is good, I think.
I did like the atmosphere and "feeling" at J's family day care house and I am really thinking it would be good for Joaquin, but at the same time thinking do I really want someone else to care for my son while I am off at university looking at tiny insey winsey teeth and bones belonging to long dead mammals that are over 20 million years old?
I am not sure, I have to think about this.
After going to "check out" the family day care center I walked over to Uni and had lunch with K who is 20 weeks pregnant and saw the other members of the lab. Joaquin is always friendly and cute, he is shy at first but very placid and smily and loves playing trying to say everyone's names.
By the way it has been 20 min and he has not gone to sleep again, and was just crying and standing up on his cot trying to get the music box to play again. I had to calm him and put him back down in his cot, cover him with the blanket and put the music on again. I pat his tummy and he calms down, and then when I leave he cries. He has been crying the last few days when we put him down, he is starting to understand what bye bye and chau and when we leave him alone means. I am not sure if he is scared or just does not want to sleep.
He stood up by himself today for 5 secs and looked very natural. He will be walking soon I think. He also stood on the mini trampoline at the carer's house and held onto the bars and bent his knees and moved up and down .... jumped. He has never been on a trampoline before but he saw the two other boys on it before hand and wanted a go and just did what they were doing. Very perceptive I think. I love my little munch munch (his nick name the last few months)
Friday, January 11, 2008
The night the lights went out
Today is a beautiful gorgeous day in Patagonia. It rained all day yesterday and snowed on the mountains and was cold outside.
We managed to go for a walk in the rain up the hill and by the river and there was a high cloud on the mountain Sierro 21 and was raining. Even though we were all rouged up it was cold, we were wet and the rain really felt like snow as it touched the skin on my hands.
As we turned away to walk home with the dogs we looked up at the Sierro and it was covered with fresh snow, it looked like a big cake with icing sugar or as Andrea said Panatone con azucar inplpable.
Joaquin stayed at home and mum was getting him to sleep for a little afternoon nap, mind you afternoon here is 9pm. That is the time we went for walk. It was still light when we got home at 10.10pm. Andrea and I left Seb and Jas who went back to look for the dog leash that Seb had left behind on the walk. We left them and went to the local corner shop to buy some cheese as my dad had ordered us to get some for his polenta with chorizo colorado he was making. On our way back from the shops we saw Seb and Jas with the two dogs and the two leashes walking down the street on the way home and we met up and all walked back together. People were already coming out from their home as it was no longer raining but there was a chill in the air.
When we got home wet and cold Dad was nearly finished the polenta and we had also bought some pategrass cheese to have as a snack with some galletitas. Joaquin was sitting on the mat playing, my mum was on the sewing machine sewing a bag she is making for me. I saw that Joaquin was still tired and very hyperactive. My mum told me he had slept nearly the whole time we were away and was now playing by himself. He sits up very well straight and tall.
Jas sat down with him on the mat and Joaquin was trying to climb all over him like a koala. This is the first time we have seen this happen as if Joaquin is trying to get up and stand up, but he can't crawl yet so we are waiting for that milestone. At 10.30pm Jas went to the cabin to get the bath ready and I was cleaning up getting ready to take Joaquin up to the house (rugged up as it was really cold outside for mid summer) and suddenly the lights went out. Damm that. I was a bit stressed and we were all looking for the torch. My mum and dad were calm and it was still light outside. I finally found the torch and then took Joaquin to the cabin were Jas had prepared his bath. My mum gave us some candles and Jas lit them and we bathed him. Joaquin must have sensed I was stressed as in the bathroom he peed on the floor while in my mum's arms. He had a little bath by candle light and I was playing with torch with him, he was trying to get it when I left the torch on the soap-stand. He loves anything new and knows when something in different. He also loves having a bath and playing with the plastic frogs in the bath.
After the bath we changed him and dressed him in his warm polar pjs and I got ready to feed him by candle light and as soon as i got started I thought to myself if the lights come back on we will all be blinded I better tell Jas to turn the light-switches off just in case and then lo and behold the lights came on!
Then i fed him and he fed well and we wrapped him and Jas gave him a bottle top up and put him in his cot and we kissed him goodnight. He cried for a while protesting and sobbing and I left him with Jas and went to the house to get ready for dinner. Jas waited until he was alseep and then came down and we finally ended up having dinner (polenta con chorizo colorado) at about 11.30. Poor little munchkin was really tired!
We managed to go for a walk in the rain up the hill and by the river and there was a high cloud on the mountain Sierro 21 and was raining. Even though we were all rouged up it was cold, we were wet and the rain really felt like snow as it touched the skin on my hands.
As we turned away to walk home with the dogs we looked up at the Sierro and it was covered with fresh snow, it looked like a big cake with icing sugar or as Andrea said Panatone con azucar inplpable.
Joaquin stayed at home and mum was getting him to sleep for a little afternoon nap, mind you afternoon here is 9pm. That is the time we went for walk. It was still light when we got home at 10.10pm. Andrea and I left Seb and Jas who went back to look for the dog leash that Seb had left behind on the walk. We left them and went to the local corner shop to buy some cheese as my dad had ordered us to get some for his polenta with chorizo colorado he was making. On our way back from the shops we saw Seb and Jas with the two dogs and the two leashes walking down the street on the way home and we met up and all walked back together. People were already coming out from their home as it was no longer raining but there was a chill in the air.
When we got home wet and cold Dad was nearly finished the polenta and we had also bought some pategrass cheese to have as a snack with some galletitas. Joaquin was sitting on the mat playing, my mum was on the sewing machine sewing a bag she is making for me. I saw that Joaquin was still tired and very hyperactive. My mum told me he had slept nearly the whole time we were away and was now playing by himself. He sits up very well straight and tall.
Jas sat down with him on the mat and Joaquin was trying to climb all over him like a koala. This is the first time we have seen this happen as if Joaquin is trying to get up and stand up, but he can't crawl yet so we are waiting for that milestone. At 10.30pm Jas went to the cabin to get the bath ready and I was cleaning up getting ready to take Joaquin up to the house (rugged up as it was really cold outside for mid summer) and suddenly the lights went out. Damm that. I was a bit stressed and we were all looking for the torch. My mum and dad were calm and it was still light outside. I finally found the torch and then took Joaquin to the cabin were Jas had prepared his bath. My mum gave us some candles and Jas lit them and we bathed him. Joaquin must have sensed I was stressed as in the bathroom he peed on the floor while in my mum's arms. He had a little bath by candle light and I was playing with torch with him, he was trying to get it when I left the torch on the soap-stand. He loves anything new and knows when something in different. He also loves having a bath and playing with the plastic frogs in the bath.
After the bath we changed him and dressed him in his warm polar pjs and I got ready to feed him by candle light and as soon as i got started I thought to myself if the lights come back on we will all be blinded I better tell Jas to turn the light-switches off just in case and then lo and behold the lights came on!
Then i fed him and he fed well and we wrapped him and Jas gave him a bottle top up and put him in his cot and we kissed him goodnight. He cried for a while protesting and sobbing and I left him with Jas and went to the house to get ready for dinner. Jas waited until he was alseep and then came down and we finally ended up having dinner (polenta con chorizo colorado) at about 11.30. Poor little munchkin was really tired!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
breast is best
I just got up to have breakfast ( a good hearty bowl of oats/porridge) and say goodbye to Jas who is up early and is now going to work early so he can come home early and help out with Joaquin. He does not have time to have breakfast so he grabs some wheatbix and a bowl with a spoon and eats at work. In a way it makes me feel bad.
I will go back to bed and probably get up to feed the little on in about 30 min. I am a bit tired but thankfully after Joaquin's transition to the cot in our room he is still sleeping well throughout the night. Last night he slept from 9pm to 4am. I had to pump at 9.30 and 1.00am but he is asleep throughout and I would rather him sleep as he does not sleep through the day.
He is still in the baby moses but we place the moses in the cot, so when he has totally grown out of the moses he will automatically adjust well in the cot. Jas measured him last night and said he is at least or more than 62cm long, which is quite long for a little 10 week baby.
I wonder why he is so long. Maybe that is why it has taken me a while to get breastfeeding right as he needs to so much for his long size.
I am happy that I am breastfeeding and finally after all my problems and adjustments I am getting a hang of it (cross my fingers). My problems were flat nipple, using a nipple shield, low milk supply?, thrush, urinary tract infection, and a big fat case of hives or allergic reaction to all the medication I was taking. Medication included fenugreek, motilium, (doperidone), Weleda mothers milk tea, antibiotics, acidopholous tablets. I am so happy to be off medication as the truth is that there is no real scientific studies about motilium and its effect on children that are breastfed. I do not want to take any more drugs. I tried to do something natural and ended up having to take heaps of drugs to make this "natural" thing work. The funny thing is now after 2 weeks of cutting out the drugs my milk supply has established well and I have finally cut out the extra formula top ups we were giving Joaquin.
I think the helpful part for me is expressing at night while he sleeps, thus increasing my supply and spending a lot of time with him during the day letting him feed if he wants or suck if he wants.
I do think breastfeeding is best but if not possible then mother's should not worry and try other alternatives such as expressing milk or formula.
Here is a list of reasons why breastfeeding is beneficial to mother and baby.
Ok I am going back to bed to wait for the little munchkin to wake up and want a feed!
I will go back to bed and probably get up to feed the little on in about 30 min. I am a bit tired but thankfully after Joaquin's transition to the cot in our room he is still sleeping well throughout the night. Last night he slept from 9pm to 4am. I had to pump at 9.30 and 1.00am but he is asleep throughout and I would rather him sleep as he does not sleep through the day.
He is still in the baby moses but we place the moses in the cot, so when he has totally grown out of the moses he will automatically adjust well in the cot. Jas measured him last night and said he is at least or more than 62cm long, which is quite long for a little 10 week baby.
I wonder why he is so long. Maybe that is why it has taken me a while to get breastfeeding right as he needs to so much for his long size.
I am happy that I am breastfeeding and finally after all my problems and adjustments I am getting a hang of it (cross my fingers). My problems were flat nipple, using a nipple shield, low milk supply?, thrush, urinary tract infection, and a big fat case of hives or allergic reaction to all the medication I was taking. Medication included fenugreek, motilium, (doperidone), Weleda mothers milk tea, antibiotics, acidopholous tablets. I am so happy to be off medication as the truth is that there is no real scientific studies about motilium and its effect on children that are breastfed. I do not want to take any more drugs. I tried to do something natural and ended up having to take heaps of drugs to make this "natural" thing work. The funny thing is now after 2 weeks of cutting out the drugs my milk supply has established well and I have finally cut out the extra formula top ups we were giving Joaquin.
I think the helpful part for me is expressing at night while he sleeps, thus increasing my supply and spending a lot of time with him during the day letting him feed if he wants or suck if he wants.
I do think breastfeeding is best but if not possible then mother's should not worry and try other alternatives such as expressing milk or formula.
Here is a list of reasons why breastfeeding is beneficial to mother and baby.
Ok I am going back to bed to wait for the little munchkin to wake up and want a feed!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
increasing milk supply
Since Joaquin was born i have been worried amount my milk supply, so i have searched high and on the internet (also Jas has searched) and found a lot of information.
Tips for increasing milk supply:
How to know if you have enough milk:
http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/lowsupply.html
How to increase supply:
http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/supply.html
Substances that increase supply:
http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/galact.html
From an Australian Breastfeeding Councilor
Worrying about supply is one of the most common concerns that mothers have.
Often, babies can seem very hungry when they are tired, overstimulated or,
in fact, hungry. If you offer feeds to your baby whenever he is willing to
have one, and you allow him to feed for as long as he wants, then it is very
likely that you will make enough milk for him. Rest and relaxation are also
very important.
See
Australian Breastfeeding Association
This link is great for increasing supply:
HOW CAN I INCREASE MY MILK SUPPLY?
Milk supply issues:
kellymom
List of what is needed to increase supply (from internet)
Tips for increasing milk supply:
How to know if you have enough milk:
http://www.breastfeeding.asn
How to increase supply:
http://www.breastfeeding.asn
Substances that increase supply:
http://www.breastfeeding.asn
From an Australian Breastfeeding Councilor
Worrying about supply is one of the most common concerns that mothers have.
Often, babies can seem very hungry when they are tired, overstimulated or,
in fact, hungry. If you offer feeds to your baby whenever he is willing to
have one, and you allow him to feed for as long as he wants, then it is very
likely that you will make enough milk for him. Rest and relaxation are also
very important.
See
Australian Breastfeeding Association
This link is great for increasing supply:
HOW CAN I INCREASE MY MILK SUPPLY?
Milk supply issues:
kellymom
List of what is needed to increase supply (from internet)
drink lots of water/fluids (at least 64 ozs day)
oatmeal, oats, granola, granola/oat cereal bars, oatmeal cookise (2-4 servings/day)
lots of protein, Carnation instant breakfast, ovaltine
papaya, fish soup
Mothers milk tea, Yogi nursing mothers tea
More milk plus tincture or capsules (forget to jot down amt)
pump at least every 3hrs (2 is better), for at least 20 mins (3-5 mins beyond last drops)--and YES even @ night if kiddo sleeps thru the night--plus I understand prolactin levels are highest during the night
10-10-10 method (pump 10 mins, rest 10 mins, pump 10 mins)
cluster pump (ie in the evening)
RELAX (ha ha)
get more sleep, don't lie on stomach
rent hospital grade pump
use the Ameda Purely Yours or Medela Pump in style
replace pump parts (if older may consider rent hosp grade to see if motor is dying or buy new pump)
pressure of hands free bra
if breasts large get larger horns (vice versa if small)
put olive oil on nips to keep them freely moving in horns
adjust settings to see what is most effective for you
supplements--fenugreek (3-4/3xs/day) some kiddos are sensitive to this blessed thistle, brewers yeast, alfalfa, lecithin, cumin(!)--most of these didn't list specific amts
Domeperidone (inhousepharmacy.com)
Reglan (prescription--side effect--depression)
Avoid cold meds, sudafed, anything designed to dry you up( incl diuretics), parsley, sage, oregano, black beans(!)
Avoid birth control w/ estrogen
for some women, even progestin only bc (ie mini pill & depo) can decrease supply
Tips for pumping from the internet from a pumping mum
I drive to where I need to shop, then pump in the vehicle, & sometimes pump before going home again, I pump on the way to/from church when dh can drive or in the parking lot before/after if dh can't. I have pumped in every room of the house, even on the front porch. I have pumped during dinner, while kiddos take a bath, while putting kiddos to bed, while feeding dd, on the floor playing w/ kiddos, etc. And hey, if you have to just sit and "do nothing"--like surf the net, email friends, read, etc--hey I have a legal excuse for "doing nothing"-except nurturing my kiddo.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
the doctors visit
I took him to the doctors, and for the first time ventured outside with him and only him. I put him in the Baby Bjorn and walked to Clovelly road to the
Took him to see el Abuelo Ruben at the War Vet Nursing home. My grandfathers face lit up when he saw us and I walked in the room where he was playing Bingo with the lady from
On the way home we stopped at a take-away shop and I ran in and got two chicken burgers called“hot mamma” as they are a fake
He was asleep when we got home and we let him sleep and then when he woke at 10.30pm I fed him, and gave him a top up of formula (60mls) and also pumped. I was able to pump 70mls and Jason was very happy. Then I woke up at 3.30am to feed him and then 7.30am (Friday morning).
To increase my milk supply I started taking tablets Motilium at 10pm and took one every 6 hours, then at 7am and 3.30pm (Friday 13th) as suggested by lactation consultant. Lets see what happens, if my supply increases!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
