Katie's Weaning

To say that the first few months of breastfeeding were HARD is an understatement.  Well, let me back up a bit.  Actually the first few days of breastfeeding far exceeded my expectations.  We started off amazingly well considering the initial obstacles we faced.  Katie was born via c-section at 12:51 pm on March 31, 2010.  My first record of being able to latch her was 4:38 pm.  According to askdrsears.com, "Studies show that newborns who have early contact with their mothers learn to latch on more efficiently than babies who are separated from their mothers in the hour or two following birth." Because we had been separated for nearly 4 hours, I made it a priority to put Katie to the breast every time she smacked her little lips.  I was thrilled and encouraged when less than 48 hours after her birth, my milk came in (breastmilk usually changes over from colostrum to mature milk between 2 and 5 days after birth).

Within a week or two, though, something just didn't seem right.  Katie was extremely fussy (partly her temperament) and I experienced intense pain.  My original goal of making it to 6 months seemed nearly impossible.  After several consultations and a couple of doctor visits, we were both diagnosed with thrush.  Even then, it took several more weeks of pain and various remedies to eliminate the infection in both of us.  Interestingly, the best solutions were the most "natural" ones: gentian violet, homeopathic drops, and diligent cleaning with vinegar.

Another element to our breastfeeding relationship early on was pumping.  I went back to work when Katie was 8 weeks old (America, get with the program on reasonable maternity leaves!).  I pumped at work twice a day and was blessed to be able to take my lunch break every single day to go nurse her at the babysitters.  Thankfully Katie took to bottles very well.  It was difficult at times to not be able to enjoy lunch dates with friends or to be able to run errands.  But I treasured breaking up my day to go cuddle with my boo.  Also, I was never able to "build a stash" of frozen expressed milk during my maternity leave because all of the milk could have been infected with thrush.  However, with a little bit of planning and a flexible work schedule, Katie was never short for milk.

Somewhere along the line, days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and suddenly Katie was a year old.  In the US, the AAP recommends breastfeeding infants until at least a year (the World Health Organization says at least two years).  We had arrived at that wonderful one year mark, and if anything, Katie showed MORE interest in nursing than less.  We had entered into the realm of "extended breastfeeding."

I poured over books and articles to educate myself on the benefits of extended breastfeeding (see some links below).  I also felt the need to arm myself with facts if I ever needed to defend what we were doing.  Admittedly, I was self-conscious about breastfeeding a toddler.  Looking back she was still so much a baby, but it didn't feel that way at the time.

I eventually resigned to not worry about what others thought and follow my daughter's lead in the weaning process.  Breastfeeding was for her afterall, so why should it matter what other opinions were?  Breastfeeding is a relationship, though; a two-way street.  Any time I was starting to feel "tied down" or antsy for forward progress, we made changes.  Katie wasn't always ready for these changes, so I occasionally had to back off until she obliged.

As of 6 months ago, Katie still nursed about once during the day and once at night.  The nighttime part was especially frustrating and exhausting for me.  Over fall break, with Daddy's support of stepping in if needed, we nightweaned.  Katie and I talked about what that would look like for about a week before we even attempted it.  She didn't put up much of a fuss, which was our indication that she was ready.

In December, we found out we are expecting our second child.  I knew that the days of nursing Katie were likely coming to an end.  Breastmilk changes over the course of pregnancy.  Some nurslings wean quickly, others don't seem to notice or care.  Katie noticed, but didn't care.  Mommy did though.  I was becoming more uncomfortable and anxious to move on from this chapter of our relationship.  With a little bit of nudging and A LOT of negotiation, we started spreading out sessions to every other day, every few days, once a week...

The last time I noted that we nursed was February 7, 2013.  Katie was 2 years, 10 months, and 1 week when she was officially "weaned."  It feels very bittersweet to say that I don't remember anything about those last few moments of such an important aspect of our relationship as mother and daughter.  On the other hand, life with Katie has continued to flow in the same way it always has.  Her cuddles are just as sweet and we are just as connected.

We would not have made it as long as we did without the support of family and friends.  You know who you are.  Thank you for not treating us like freaks (at least to our faces).  Thank you for believing that although we weren't considered "normal" for this area of the world, we were doing what was "normal" for us.  And last, thank you Katie-boo for continuing to teach me every day what it is to be your mommy.

~Carla

Helpful links for those considering breastfeeding/extended breastfeeding: 

Breastfeeding your newborn — what to expect in the early weeks

Breastfeeding Past Infancy: Fact Sheet

Weaning

Prairie Unplugged

I watched a lot of Norm Abram and melodramatic after school specials growing up.  Sure I felt a little deprived not getting to watch Nickelodeon or Real World marathons.  But I truly didn't know what I was missing out on until my parents finally got cable when I was 17.  We were "movin on up!"  I then had access to seemingly hundreds of channels.  And you know what?  I still complained that there was nothing on sometimes (ridiculous really).

Neither Steve nor I had consistent access to TV for most of college.  I never missed it!  However, we have had either cable or satellite for the last 6.5 years of our 7.5 year marriage.  We became experts at DVRing two shows at once while watching a show we had previously recorded.  Prior to becoming parents, we watched A LOT of TV.  What else was there to do?

Parenthood has changed our lives completely.  I am home with Katie during the day and try to keep the television off as much as possible.  I want her to play and be creative.  When we do watch TV, she really likes the shows on PBS.  In the evenings, Steve and I typically wait until Katie is in bed to watch anything because we don't want to expose her to some of the language and subject matter of prime time.

We have debated cutting the perverbial cord several times in the past.  But a few months back we were started looking ahead at our looming satellite introductory rate expiration.  I already felt like we were paying more than I was comfortable with and couldn't stomach jumping up a significant amount more (you know I'm a major tightwad).  We finally decided we were done... at least for now.  Steve mourned the loss of convenient access to sports, especially UK games.  I binged on Sister Wives and David Tutera's My Fair Wedding.  On the morning of December 31, we turned on the TV to find our service had been cut off.  It was an end to an era.

Here's what we're doing to "cope"

• UHF/VHF HD compatible antenna - not pleasing to the eye, but gets us 9 local and public broadcast channels
• Netflix membership - this is very handy for filling the void when "nothing is on"
• Watching some of our favorite shows online
• Listening to UK games on the radio
• Exercising
• Reading
• Getting stuff done!

We have also considered a membership to HULU Plus, but have decided to forgo that for now.  We plan to hook up our old VCR to record shows when we either can't watch a show in real time, or catch it later online.  

We know how difficult this decision was for us, so we know it's not a decision that's right for everyone.  It's just a fun exercise for me, though, to challenge myself to break habits and find what my bottom line comfort level is.  I'm not ready to completely throw out the TV.  I've had friends in the past that did and I admired what other activities filled their time.  Baby steps...

~Carla

Nuts about Coconut Oil!

It seems that coconut oil has been growing in popularity, especially on the "crunchy" prairie.  However, some of you may not yet be privy to the many health benefits of this oil. 

Adam and I recently had friends in town from Oklahoma.  My friend's hands were so dry and brittle they felt like sandpaper (Love you Jamie).  I love sharing natural tips with my friends, and I suggested we butter her up with coconut oil.  It took a little while to soak in, but after it did, she agreed her hands felt softer. 



Photo Source

Coconut oil is used extensively in tropical climates.  It is anti-fungal, anti-viral, antibacterial, antimicrobial, and an antioxidant.  It is in solid form until it reaches 76 degrees, then it melts to a liquid. This makes it easy to use for a variety of purposes.  Coconut oil really is one of those products that can be used for hundreds of different things. 

We (Carla and I) use coconut oil for the following:

Moisturizer- body and facial
Cooking/Baking in place of hydrogenated oils and butter
Deodorant
Diaper Rash Cream- one of the few that's cloth diaper friendly
Nipple Cream when breast feeding
Hair conditioner
Shaving Cream
Eczema
Pet Care
Cradle Cap
Acne
Dietary Supplement

I recently began using coconut oil as a facial moisturizer and have been pleased with the results.  I have also used it in the past as a deodorant and in baked goods (I used it in place of butter for my sweet potato casserole and it was AMAZING).  I have also used it in my dog's ear, to treat an infection, which healed within a couple of days. 

I will link to several sites where you can find other information.  I typically buy the Virgin, unrefined, and organic variety.

http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/28296-health-properties-coconut-oil/
You can purchase Coconut Oil at your local grocer (Kroger sells it in Owensboro), health food store, or online here Vitacost.

~Trina

I HATE WASHING DISHES

Ugh.  There's not a night that goes by that I don't find myself facing a sink full of bottles and pumping parts.  They seem to multiply in the sink.  Typically, I will spend 30 minutes washing bottles, pull out the sink stopper, only to find that I have two more dirty bottles sitting on the counter. 

For the past few nights, I have been making mental reminders that "we're almost out of dish soap."  Well, tonight we were officially out.  And since I don't have the time, energy or money (that's another blog post on our new commitment to budgeting), I decided to make my own. 

After a quick search online for "homemade dish soap," I found several recipes.  This one is from ecoKaren, and uses castile soap.  I can't comment on it's effectiveness, but it was easy and inexpensive to make.  I even had all the ingredients on hand! 

 

I love making my own cleaning supplies.  It seems all the recipes use most of the same ingredients in some way or another: vinegar, essential oils, water, baking or washing soda, castile soap.  Buying these products in bulk also saves money.  The next time you "run out" of something, consider making it.  I'm convinced (except the one time I tried to make my own toilet bowl cleaner- bust!). 

~Trina

Solid Food with a Spoon?

I've always been indecisive.  I just like to make informed decisions. I will spend hours on end researching child development, sleep habits, etc.  When I was pregnant, I bet I had 5 books I looked at every night before going to bed.  My night stand is full of books and my downfall is google.  I google EVERYTHING.  When my son was born, I think my googling went into overload.  (How many times can I type google, hmmm.)

My latest googling craze has been: "feeding baby solids" "solids baby 7 1/2 month" "baby food recipe" "homemade baby food," and the list goes on and on and on.

We waited until 6 months to really introduce solids.  I "decided" to not start with fortified rice cereal (after reading a La Leche League book on solids).  I felt it was important that my baby receive actual food for his first "meals."  His first solids were banana, sweet potato, and avocado.  These were easy to prepare.  I simply smashed the banana and added some breast milk.

As I googled "baby solids," I happened upon a practice entitled "Baby Led Weaning."  This idea was created by Gil Rapley.  It does not refer to "weaning" from the breast, but adding complementary foods.  It involves the idea of giving your baby real solid foods.  Foods that they can pick up and eat.  From this perspective, if you have waited until 6 months to give your baby solids, they are ready for finger foods.

This may sound crazy.  Think about it though.  Did we always have little pureed jars of baby food on supermarket shelves?  When did solids become thought of as "Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 2 1/2?"  It seems silly.  If you are feeding your baby solids at 4 months (which is not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics), then yes, you may have to spoon feed purees.  A 4 month old is no way near as developmentally prepared for solids as a 6 month old.

I personally like the idea of baby led solids.  I like that he will be able to experiment with foods.  The speech therapist in me appreciates the sensory aspect and allowing him to develop his chewing skills.  His fine motor has really developed from picking up small pieces.  He has a pincer grasp at 7 1/2 months! 

But, I don't know.  I go back and forth.  He recently had a choking episode with a banana.  No, it wasn't "just gagging."  It was real deal, no air coming in or out, no noise, choking.  And I was scared to death.  Yes, yes, I know I'm trained in CPR and am a feeding therapist for goodness sake.  But when it's your own child, it's scary. 

So, we've resorted to my eeeny, meeny, miney, moe lifestyle.  This morning I gave him a banana to hold and experiment with, while I spoon fed him some organic Earth's Best apples and bananas (Stage 2).  I've also given him apple slices in a mesh feeder, which he LOVES. 

He loves his baby yogurt!

I have to wonder if I will spend the rest of his life riding the fence.  Maybe it won't be such a bad thing for him to experience the best of both worlds.



~Trina

"When something seems bad, turn it around and find something good."

About this time last year I signed up, and subsequently became addicted to, Pinterest.  I suddenly saw all of my wardrobe in a new light.  Old t-shirts became scarves; other old shirts became handkerchiefs and dryer balls. One old turtleneck (circa junior year of high school!) became an infinity scarf, leg warmers, and a headband for me or Katie (have I ever mentioned her big noggin?).

Lately, I've gone through another closet revamp craze.  I've been reading some blogs about minimalism and have gotten rid of several pieces of clothing that I have been holding on to "just in case."  I'm also repurposing a few items to give them new life.  A couple of v-neck sweaters are some of my favorite go-to sweaters in the winter time.  One of the sweaters is UK blue so I wear it very often on game days.  The other has a nice gray and red argyle pattern which I like to wear around Christmas.  I'm sort of getting tired of them in their current style and other people are probably tired of seeing them too!  So I decided to take the plunge, cut both sweaters straight up the middle and turn them into cardigans! 

Red and gray argyle sweater turned cardigan begging to be worn over my black dress!

I used iron-on fusible webbing that was passed down to me from my late Mammaw Edna (perhaps where I inherited my seamstress itch that isn't yet satisfactorily scratched because of sub-par skill level).  For now I plan to pair these cardigans with a belt until I have the wherewithal to add a button.  I can now wear these sweaters over dresses or turtlenecks too.  I just LOVE the versatility of cardigans!

While I had the iron and webbing out, I also mended a pair of really cute bermuda shorts that I haven't bothered to wear for the last two summers because one of the hems had fallen out.  The entire project took less than 30 minutes for all 3 pieces.

Repairing the hem of my sailor-striped bermuda shorts.

I'm already giving a few other pieces a critical eye when I pass by them in the closet.  I can hear them all running to hide from the scissors!

Oh and credits to Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (one of Katie's favorites) for this post's title.

Planting Our Little Prairie

I'm so excited that Fall Break is finally here!  The local school system is off all week which means my wonderful hubby is at home all week!  I've been very much looking forward to this week as we have set it aside to finally add some plantlife to our dull/dead suburban backyard.
Some of the plants we bought on clearance at Lowe's.  The rest we transplanted from my uncle's extensive and beautiful master garden.  I wanted hearty, drought resistant perennial bushes that flower at different times of year as well as some breezy grasses.  Steve is gracious enough to let me run with my vision of our little prairie all while doing most of the grunt work.
 

Our little helper toting an azalea around to the backyard.

Steve working hard to dig a hole for one of the two forsythia bushes.  Every spring the bright yellow buds of forsythia bushes remind me of my dear college roommate, Beth.

 

Katie and I planting an azalea.  Bless her heart, Katie's lived in the city her whole life, but she's a country girl at heart.  Outside in 65 degree weather with bare feet in the mud!

We finally have a tree in our yard!  A transplanted maple that's about the same height as Katie.  I look forward to seeing it grow as she does.

Not sure what this is, but it's a purple grass that feels like feathers.  I LOVE it!!  We planted it so that it can be seen from the large dining room window.

My heart is full of joy when I look in the backyard now.  I can't wait to see how each plant grows and transforms with the seasons and years.  Isn't nature such a beautiful illustration of life in general?  Thank you God for Your creation!

And one last note... while Steve was taking a short break he noted, "you've turned me into a dang hippy.  I'm working in the garden, drinking water from a glass jar, and wearing crystal deoderant." I shot back, "about time your lifestyle matched your politics." ;)