7 Quick Takes Friday - Volume 13

Why, hello there!  It's been a while since a "real" post, huh?  Let me say, life with 6 children is just different than life with 5.  You'd think one more wouldn't make much difference, especially in an already larger-than-average family, but it does!  I think the other ones getting older as well has something to do with it, too, maybe. Time just isn't mine to spend as it used to be.  So please forgive my sporatic blogging and stop in when you can and I'll try to do the same!

Anywho... here's a brief recap of life lately.

I did it! I  ran a 5K - my first one in NINE years!  Phew!  It was fun and challenging, and I couldn't have done it without my good friends who supported and encouraged me the whole way.  I'd like to say I did the same for them but I was too busy trying not to fall down and die, so thankfully they were strong enough on their own!  Here's a picture of the three of us, all hot and sweaty.  

I really want to do another one, but that would mean, well, actually running again some time soon.  So that makes me give it a little more thought.

In other exciting news, Nathan lost his first tooth!  It caught me off guard, because he's not even 5 yet!  One day it was a little wiggly, and just a few days later, out it came, while he was brushing his teeth.  He was super proud - and so was I!  There's something about that first tooth that is sentimental for me.  Like the first step into big-kidness or something.  Of course, I made a scrapbook page about it!

Can you believe Rachel-girl is already 10 months old?  She's getting so big!!  She's gotten 4 teeth (two top, two bottom), is standing on her own, and can blow kisses!  I think she may be the first of all the kids to walk before the 12-month mark... time will soon tell!  Here are some pictures!

 

Her nighttime sleeping has improved, for which I am so, so thankful! Now to get some daytime sleep pattern established.  She's busy, busy, busy - always on the go and into anything and everything she can find, especially the stuff she shouldn't be in!  Such is life with a mobile baby.

Speaking of Rachel, I wanted to address one of the most asked questions I get: "What's it like having a girl after all those boys?".  Let me tell you!  It's awesome.  It's fascinating.  It's fun.  And it's a bit on the terrifying side.  You see, with the boys, I know that for the most part, they're looking toward Michael for their example of how to be - men, of course. (Not that they're not looking at my example, too, but it's not quite the same!) But now I've got this person to whom *I'm* the main example - of motherliness, femininity, what it means to be a girl/woman... yikes!  To be honest, I didn't come into a good understanding of my own femininity until I was in my 20's, and still feel like I have so much more to learn and areas to grow in.  So, all my flaws, faults, and failures are magnified to me even more now, and I pray daily for the Lord to make me into a Godly example for my daughter.  I'm so thankful that He is faithful and working on me!!

On a bittersweet note - I have resigned from the TOS Homeschool Crew.  The year and a half that I was a part of the Crew was a great blessing for me, and I so appreciated the opportunity to participate in the fun reviews!  However, I'm just at a point in my life where my blog cannot be a priority any more, and my family needs more of my focus.  We also needed less distractions away from our main homeschooling goals.  So while it's sad to say goodbye, I'm also excited to have one less extra activity on my plate.  I have one more review that will be coming up next week, and that will be the last.  I do hope that my time on the Crew has been a blessing to my readers and maybe even helped with a few curriculum decisions!

For Thanksgiving (also my birthday week), we went up to Amish Country in Pennsylvania to visit with my sister, brother-in-law, and parents.  We were able to stay in a great little house at my sister's work (Black Rock Retreat Center, in case you're ever in the area - it's awesome!) and it was perfect for hosting Thanksgiving dinner.  We spent lots of time outside and playing family games.  We also learned a new game called "Ga-Ga" (or "Israeli Dodgeball") - google it if you're curious!  It was quite fun and a great wear-them-out game for the boys!  There was a nature center with all sorts of various reptiles and other critters, and the kids got to go feed them every day.  We even had professional family pictures done, some of which I hope to share soon!

It was so much fun spending time with everyone!  Here's a picture of my sister, brother-in-law, and the kiddos (this is not one of the professional ones, obviously!):

(I love the different personalities that show through!)

I promise this isn't an ad, and I don't get any kick back whatsoever for making this recommendation, but I have to share about a product that has revolutionized my breastfeeding experience!  Seriously, I would consider this a MUST-HAVE for any nursing mom.  What could this be?! Undercover Mama nursing "tanks"!  I say "tanks" because they're not actually tank tops - they're bodices that attach to any nursing bra to act as a tank top.  You see, regular nursing tanks do not work for me.  By themselves, they're not supportive enough.  Worn over a nursing bra creates two sets of clasps to be undone.  But not Undercover Mama Tanks! They. are. AWESOME.  No, really, they are.  No more worrying about belly skin showing while I nurse.  No more cold baby hands on my side while I nurse.  I can wear one under anything, and it's not bulky or too hot (but they do help in adding an extra layer when it's cold outside!), and come in a variety of colors.  I *love* *love* *love* them.  Can I say that enough?  I don't go a day without one on, seriously!    Nursing + Modesty = Wonderful!

Well, there's more I have to share, but maybe I'll actually write a real, live blog post sometime soon to share my other thoughts. We'll see if time allows me!  Thanks, as always, for stopping by - please feel free to leave a comment to say howdy!

7 Quick Takes Friday - Volume 7

Remember that "my-baby-is-4-months-old-supermom" feeling I mentioned in an earlier Quick Takes, a few weeks ago?  Yes, laugh heartily along with me as we reminisce about all of my goals and excitement.  It didn't last very long.  Go figure!  Well, actually, I've been doing OK in getting up early and exercising, but that whole 31 Days to Clean challenge I was attempting?  I am still on Day 1.  I have read several days worth of challenges, but that's not actually miraculously making my house cleaner.  I wonder why?  And the Good Morning Girls "Ministry of Motherhood Bookclub" readings... well, let's just say they're now on Week 6.  I, however, am just starting Week 4.  So, there you have it!  Hopefully my earlier enthusiasm was an encouragement to someone, and my "back to reality wake up call" can be an encouragement, too.  Either you're in the same boat as me and we're happy that we're not alone, or you're doing better than I am and can feel happy about that fact! ;-)  I just consider myself taking more of the "slow and steady" route, and I'm OK with that.

Speaking of exercise, I've been at it for almost 3 full weeks now!  I've been alternating 3 days of run/walking on the treadmill with 3 days of a strength training video.  Aaaaannnnddd...  I've gained 4 pounds.  Yep!  Yes, yes, I know "muscle weighs more than fat" blah blah blah... but seriously?  There's no way I've gained 4 pounds of muscle in 3 weeks.  I can't even imagine that to be true.  But, honestly... the numbers on the scale aren't my main focus, really.  I want to feel better in my clothing, have more energy, and overall just feel better... and so far... well, the last one is true.  I am feeling better in general.  My energy level hasn't sky rocketed, but that probably has more to do with getting up so crazy early (anywhere from 5-5:30 am) and going to bed way too late (usually between 11 pm - midnight).  But I do love being active and feeling fit enough to BE active, so I'm really glad I've gotten back into a good routine of exercise.

Oh, and I wanted to give a little suggestion for other breastfeeding moms who exercise.  If you've ever tried to nurse in a regular sports bra, you know the amazing skill of acrobatics it can require (especially if you happen to sweat a lot, don't ask me how I know), as well as the overall discomfort it causes.  Well, I have found the perfect sports bra for nursing moms!  It is the Fiona Bra by Moving Comfort.  It is designed to support "fuller figured" women (which often comes with the territory when nursing), closes with hooks in the back (no more over the head wrestling) and also (this is the best part!) has straps that adjust in the front with velcro!  So it acts just like a nursing bra!  They are truly the perfect sports bra.  Another nice thing is that there are several other sports bras made for full-figured women by Moving Comfort that have the same design!  So whatever style or size you need, you an probably find one that suits you!  I do suggest looking around online for a good price - I found several on amazon.com as well as Sierra Trading Post that were about half the suggested retail price.  (Disclaimer:  I get no reimbursement whatsoever for this recommendation - I'm just passing along the tip!)

Isaac, my oldest, just turned 10.5 this month.  I've always made it a point to measure each of the boys on their birthdays as well as their half-birthdays, so that I have a record of growth for every six months.  Well, in the past 6 months since he turned 10, Isaac has been very busy - growing!  He sprouted up 2 whole inches in just 6 months!  That's the biggest growth spurt on the growth chart by far, so far.  I know there are more to come, but it really took me by surprise!  He's just 4 inches shorter than me now!  It's so strange to me when I look at him and get glimpses of how he's changing.  The time has gone by so fast, and sometimes I feel like I am totally, completely unprepared for what the future might hold!  Boy, am I thankful the Lord holds it all in His hands and His wisdom, and will give us all that we need!  Here's my half-grown boy as of late:

This is one picture where he really looks "different" to me - a glimpse of the man he will become!

This makes me think of the lanky teenager he'll soon be, with arms and legs everywhere!  Yikes!

I didn't post about it earlier, but for Mother's Day this year, I got a Kindle!  Woo-hoo!  However, I was a tad disappointed to discover that Kindle books are not all that less expensive than a regular book! :-/  Thankfully, I ran across a blog called "Family Friendly Reads" which lists all of the really inexpensive or FREE Kindle books available.  I check it daily and have gotten some really good books through this site, so I wanted to pass it along to others!

Another great resource I wanted to share with y'all is the Homeschool Buyer's Co-op.  This site is awesome for finding really, really good deals on all kinds of curriculum and homeschool-related things.  I've been able to save almost $100 in just two purchases so far!  They also have lots of free things, so definitely check them out!

Homeschooling's #1 Way to Save

Speaking of school, we finally have a reasonable end in sight for this years' curriculum!  We tend to do more of a year-round type schedule, so most of our "summer break" was taken right after Rachel's birth, but it looks like we'll have a few weeks to enjoy during the actual summer, as well.  We are about to dive into Week 29 of Core D - only 7 weeks left!  The big kids have about 10 weeks left of their independent work subjects (Math, English, etc), and the littles have only 5 weeks left of Sonlight's P 4/5!  Oh, and Joel (6) is only 15 lessons away from finishing off "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons".  We took some breaks from it over the past year, so it seems like it has taken forever to get through it, but the pace has been perfect for Joel.  He recently made the realization that he actually CAN read, and is eager to try reading everything he sees now!  I love when that finally clicks!

I could have actually done a few more points, but then this wouldn't fit into the "7" Quick Takes theme, would it?  So I'll just have to keep you all in suspense and wait until next week. ;-)  Have a blessed weekend!

A Great Article on Breastfeeding

A friend of mine shared this article on Facebook, and I thought it was excellent! I was going to just add it to my "Treasures" post for the month, but I can be a real computer dunce sometimes and couldn't figure out how to link to it directly - something to do with frames and all that.

Sooo... I thought I'd just copy it here and give full credit where credit is due - this is from the website "Dr. Jen 4 Kids" and can be found under the sidebar link entitled "Soap Box". Please take the time to read this - its informative and humorous! And absolutely true. Enjoy!

The Normal Newborn and Why Breastmilk is Not Just Food

What is a normal, term human infant supposed to do?

First of all, a human baby is supposed to be born vaginally. Yes, I know that doesn't always happen, but we're just going to talk ideal, normal for now. We are supposed to be born vaginally because we need good bacteria. Human babies are sterile, without bacteria, at birth. It's no accident that we are born near the anus, an area that has lots of bacteria, most of which are good and necessary for normal gut health and development of the immune system. And the bacteria that are there are mom's bacteria, bacteria that she can provide antibodies against if the bacteria there aren't nice.

Then the baby is born and is supposed to go to mom. Right to her chest. The chest, right in between the breasts is the natural habitat of the newborn baby. (Fun fact: our cardiac output, how much blood we circulate in a given minute, is distributed to places that are important. Lots goes to the kidney every minute, like 10% or so, and 20% goes to your brain. In a new mom, 23% goes to her chest- more than her brain. The body thinks that place is important!)

That chest area gives heat. The baby has been using mom's body for temperature regulation for ages. Why would they stop? With all that blood flow, it's going to be warm. The baby can use mom to get warm. When I was in my residency, we would put a cold baby "under the warmer" which meant a heater thingy next to mom. Now, as I have matured, if a baby is "under the warmer," the kid is under mom. I wouldn't like that. I like the kids on top of mom, snuggled.

Now we have a brand new baby on the warmer. That child is not hungry. Bringing a hungry baby into the world is a bad plan. And really, if they were hungry, can you please explain to me why my kids sucked the life force out of me in those last few weeks of pregnancy? They better have been getting food, or well, that would have been annoying and painful for nothing.

Every species has instinctual behaviors that allow the little ones to grow up to be big ones and keep the species going. Our kids are born into the world needing protection. Protection from disease and from predators. Yes, predators. Our kids don't know they've been born into a loving family in the 21st century- for all they know it's the 2nd century and they are in a cave surrounded by tigers. Our instinctive behaviors as baby humans need to help us stay protected. Babies get both disease protection and tiger protection from being on mom's chest. Presumably, we gave the baby some good bacteria when they arrived through the birth canal. That's the first step in disease protection. The next step is getting colostrum.

A newborn baby on mom's chest will pick their head up, lick their hands, maybe nuzzle mom, lick their hands and start to slide towards the breast. The kids have a preference for contrasts between light and dark, and for circles over other shapes. Think about that...there's a dark circle not too far away.

Mom's sweat smells like amniotic fluid, and that smell is on the child's hands (because there's been no bath yet!) and the baby uses that taste on their hand to follow mom's smell. The secretions coming from the glands on the areola (that dark circle) smell familiar too and help the baby get to the breast to get the colostrum which is going to feed the good bacteria and keep them protected from infection. The kids can attach by themselves. And if you just need colostrum to feed bacteria and not yourself, well, there doesn't have to be much. And there isn't because the kids aren't hungry and because Breastmilk is not food!

We're talking normal babies. Breastfeeding is normal. It's what babies are hardwired to do. 2009 or 209, the kids would all do the same thing: try to find the breast. Breastfeeding isn't special sauce, a leg up or a magic potion. It's not "best." It's normal. Just normal. Designed for the needs of a vulnerable human infant. And nothing else designed to replace it is normal.

Colostrum also activates things in the baby's gut that then goes on to make the thymus grow. The thymus is part of the immune system. Growing your thymus is important. Breastmilk= big thymus, good immune system. Colostrum also has a bunch of something called Secretory Immunoglobulin A (SIgA). SIgA is made in the first few days of life and is infection protection specifically from mom. Cells in mom's gut watch what's coming through and if there's an infectious cell, a special cell in mom's gut called a plasma cell heads to the breast and helps the breast make SIgA in the milk to protect the baby. If mom and baby are together, like on mom's chest, then the baby is protected from what the two of them may be exposed to. Babies should be with mom.

And the tigers. What about them? Define "tiger" however you want. But if you are baby with no skills in self-protection, staying with mom, having a grasp reflex, and a startle reflex that helps you grab onto your mom, especially if she's hairy, makes sense. Babies know the difference between a bassinette and a human chest. When infants are separated from their mothers, they have a "despair- withdrawal" response. The despair part comes when they alone, separated. The kids are vocally expressing their desire not to be tiger food. When they are picked up, they stop crying. They are protected, warm and safe. If that despair cry is not answered, they withdraw. They get cold, have massive amounts of stress hormones released, drop their heart rate and get quiet. That's not a good baby. That's one who, well, is beyond despair. Normal babies want to be held, all the time.

And when do tigers hunt? At night. It makes no sense at all for our kids to sleep at night. They may be eaten. There's nothing really all that great about kids sleeping through the night. They should wake up and find their body guard. Daytime, well, not so many threats. They sleep better during the day. (Think about our response to our tigers-- sleep problems are a huge part of stress, depression, anxiety).

I go on and on about sleep on this site, so maybe I'll gloss over it here. But everybody sleeps with their kids- whether they choose to or not and whether they admit to it or not. It's silly of us as healthcare providers to say "don't sleep with your baby" because we all do it. Sometimes accidentally. Sometimes intentionally. The kids are snuggly, it feels right and you are tired. So, normal babies breastfeed, stay at the breast, want to be held and sleep better when they are with their parents. Seems normal to me. But there is a difference between a normal baby and one that isn't. Safe sleep means that we are sober, in bed and not a couch or a recliner, breastfeeding, not smoking...being normal. If the circumstances are not normal, then sleeping with the baby is not safe.

That chest -to -chest contact is also brain development. Our kids had as many brain cells as they were ever going to have at 28 weeks of gestation. It's a jungle of waiting -to-be- connected cells. What we do as humans is create too much and then get rid of what we aren't using. We have like 8 nipples, a tail and webbed hands in the womb. If all goes well, we don't have those at birth. Create too much- get rid of what you aren't using. So, as you are snuggling, your child is hooking up happy brain cells and hopefully getting rid of the "eeeek" brain cells. Breastfeeding, skin-to-skin, is brain wiring. Not food.

Why go on and on about this? Because more and more mothers are choosing to breastfeed. But most women don't believe that the body that created that beautiful baby is capable of feeding that same child and we are supplementing more and more with infant formulas designed to be food. Why don't we trust our bodies post-partum? I don't know. But I hear over and over that the formula is because "I am just not satisfying him." Of course you are. Babies don't need to "eat" all the time- they need to be with you all the time- that's the ultimate satisfaction.

A baby at the breast is getting their immune system developed, activating their thymus, staying warm, feeling safe from predators, having normal sleep patterns and wiring their brain, and (oh by the way) getting some food in the process. They are not "hungry" --they are obeying instinct. The instinct that allows us to survive and make more of us.

(Just as an end note, the author did include a video of a baby crawling toward its mother's breast immediately after birth, but it was a bit graphic, and I never know when younger eyes are viewing this blog, so I removed it for modesty's sake. Also, please forgive her evolutionary tone - obviously breastmilk was designed by God to meet all of the needs she describes! How awesome is His perfect plan!)

How Time Flies!

Has it really been a year?! Our not-so-little anymore Judah is a whole year old today! The time has gone by so fast - yet, I can't remember when he wasn't a part of us. Here's his latest happenings...

He weighs almost 22 pounds - he's a nice solid boy, and fits into 18 month size clothing. He's crawling and climbing (lots and lots of climbing - if it looks like it can be climbed, he will attempt it - ask the dogs, they will testify to it!), but no walking yet. None of my boys have walked before a year - two walked before they turned 13 months, and two even later than that. Honestly, its not anything I'm pushing - I know how the game changes once they get on two legs!! ;-)

He's still nursing a few times a day, but loves solid food - he's very open to trying anything and everything, even woodchips on the playground. Sleeping is... something we're working the kinks out of, still. Teething really disrupts his sleep, and it seems that as soon as one comes in and we get a few peaceful nights, another one starts to make its appearance and we're up again. Infant Motrin and Teething tablets are helping us get through this, though! He's got 7 front teeth so far, and one molar trying to come on through!

Here's what new with the Bean, as we like to call him.

He LOVES listening to music. If he hears the slightest hint of music, he starts dancing. When I turn on the radio in the kitchen, he'll dance his way over to where it is and sit right next to it and dance, dance, dance. Here's a video of his mad skillz. ;-) Warning: It is almost 2 minutes long, but its a cute way to spend 2 minutes - you'll notice at the end when he gets upset that the song is over, but then starts dancing again once the next one starts! It is just about the cutest thing I've seen.



Another of his favorite activities is playing in the tupperware cabinet. Isn't that a baby tradition? All of my boys have done it as babies, and my mom even has pictures of both my sister and I doing the exact same thing. Some parents frown on it, but its a safe way for him to keep himself entertained and near me, but not under my feet or in danger of the stove. We just pick it all up when the play is over, no harm done!

He also has a special lovie he sleeps with at night. Its not what most would consider a traditional lovie (such as a blanket or stuffed animal), but he developed an immense affection for this almost out of the blue, so its officially his lovie! Yes, its a little ball - its squishy, and has a soft bell inside, so it makes a gentle noise. He gets so happy when he sees it and tucks it under his arm when he wants to tote it places. Isn't that just like a boy?!

Oh, and he says a few words! His first official word was... "Judah"! LOL! He says it so clearly, its unmistakable! I figure he hears so many people saying it to him all day, its no wonder its his first word! He also says "hi", "dog", "mama" and "dada" although never when I actually ask him to. I'll say "Say "mama"" and he waits a minute and says "dada!" lol!

He also has graduated from the too small baby bathtub to taking full-fledged sink baths. He has so much fun in the water, and always cries when bathtime is over.

Its so much fun watching little babies grow - there is SUCH a difference between their actual "birth" day and then their 1-year "birthday". It such a blessing to be able to experience!

Bye-bye!

6 Months and Some New Skills!

Judah is 6 months old now! And he is on the move, big time! He can roll or scoot to get to wherever he wants, and he's already getting up on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth in preparation to crawl. He's really eager to get going, and strong, too - I don't think it will be too long for him to get the coordination down and I'll be chasing him everywhere. Here's a little video:

Oh, and this week he decided to start sitting all by himself, too! At first he didn't care, he was more interested in sucking on his toes, so he would just flop over every which way. But after only a day or two of propping him up, he got the balance right and now loves to sit and play with the big boys! Can I say it again? I can't believe how quickly he's growing!


He weighs almost 20 pounds (what a chunk!) and has also started tasting some solid food - one of my earliest to do so, but he is *so* interested in it and ready for it! No teeth have come through yet, but they must be on the way, considering how much he sucks on his lips and grinds his gums.

And can I just take a moment to praise God for the benefits of breastmilk? For the past two weeks, a stomach bug has been circulating through the house. Everyone got it, even me - everyone, that is, except Judah! How was that possible? Because the Lord in His infinite wisdom created breastmilk to carry antibodies - the very antibodies my body made to fight off the stomach bug - to Judah, so that his teeny immune system has extra protection during exposure to things that could be very harmful to little guy like him. I'm so thankful for His perfect design!

Breastfeeding!

I was just reading Mrs. Anna T's (at Domestic Felicity - a delightful blog, please do check it out!) review of the book "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" and the warning against the bad breastfeeding advice that is offered in the book. Checking out the reviews on Amazon.com shows me that she was not alone in her perceptions of the bias against breastfeeding the author seemed to have. I have not read the book myself, so I can't judge personally, but it did get me thinking about doing a little post about breastfeeding and what I've learned after 5 babies.

The number one piece of advice I'd give to help promote successful breastfeeding is very simple - nurse that baby! Nurse, nurse and nurse some more! Nurse when they're hungry, nurse when they're tired, nurse when they're fussy, nurse when they're hurting, nurse during a movie when they start making noise, nurse even if they've just nursed less than an hour ago but want some more! Don't restrict nursing! In fact, both Isaac and Judah were verrrry sleepy babies in the beginning, so I would actually wake them to nurse, to ensure my supply would be sufficient, and also to ensure they would gain weight and stay healthy.

I have come to learn that, especially during the newborn days, a large majority of my days (and nights) are taken up with sitting around nursing. Get some good books, a big glass of water and a comfy seat, and plan to spend alot of time in it, nourishing and bonding with your baby. Don't fret about what isn't getting done - think about what is getting done - you are providing your baby with God's perfect food, as well as the comforting, soothing presence of their mother!

Scheduling nursing can be very detrimental to milk supply and baby's health. A baby goes through many growth spurts during its first year, and if you attempt to restrict their feedings, it doesn't accommodate for when their growing bodies actually have a need for more! Too many times I've heard of mothers lamenting that their supply was inadequate, but when going a little deeper into the details, found that nursing had been restricted. Breastfeeding follows the law of supply and demand - the more milk a baby demands, the more milk a mother's body makes! So frequent nursings are the most important and effective way to boost supply. Of course, there are also dietary adjustments that can be made, as well as natural herbs that can be taken, if supply is truly an issue, even with frequent nursings. A great blog post for an analogy of supply and demand and the trouble with scheduling can be read at Pursuing Titus 2: Breastmilk, Ice Cream, and Infant Feeding Schedules... Be sure to check it out!

Besides that, God intended nursing for more than just a baby's physical health - He designed it for their comfort, as well. How can I know that? His Word tells us! Isaiah 66:10-13 describes the joy that nations will find in the restoration of Israel:

"Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her, That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom. For thus says the LORD, "Behold, I extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; And you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem."

He's not talking about receiving nutrition, He's talking about finding comfort, joy and peace in her, and relating it to a nursing mother and her child. Also, in 1 Timothy 2:7 Paul says:

"But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children"

describing the tenderness that a nursing mother shows to her infant, not just nourishment!

I will say, breastfeeding certainly can have its challenges, outside of just supply issues. With Isaac, I found that I was very sore and tender for a few weeks, and it was discouraging! However, I was determined (that stubbornness I can display does occasionally have its benefits, too!) to continue nursing, so I pressed forward despite the discomfort, and he nursed for 13 months, weaning himself after I became pregnant with Ezra. I have also had periods of time where an elimination (restricted) diet was necessary on my part to help with a baby's colic or reflux. However, through many friends, both in real life and online, I have heard so many wonderful success stories of women overcoming much more difficult trials (even from women who have had to exclusively pump for many months!) that I would encourage those even experiencing difficulties to keep trying! Breastfeeding has so, so many benefits - both emotional and health-wise for both mom and baby!

On that note, I would also like to add that I have never kept a container of formula in the house. Oh! How those formula companies would like to hook you on their products! They are business, of course, looking for profit, and the best way to do that is to subtly encourage even breastfeeding moms to have some "free formula" on hand - "just in case". Do you see the doubt that automatically sets mothers up with? Every diaper bag I've gotten from the hospital has come with a large can of formula and numerous coupons, even the bags specifically for breastfeeding moms! I always leave the cans at the hospital, or donate them to the pediatrician's office or the local Crisis Pregnancy center. Not having them in the house limits the temptation to just fix a bottle when I'm feeling overwhelmed or overtired. Instead, I have to just keep on nursing... and have always been able to overcome the challenges that have arisen. Of course, when I consider the ease of breastfeeding compared to what must be entailed for bottle feeding (clean bottles, prepared formula, bringing enough in the diaper bag for outings, etc... I love that breastmilk is self contained and always available, with no prep time! lol!), not to mention the cost, even those benefits outweigh the challenges, for me.

I could go on and on about the benefits of breastfeeding! I haven't even touched on the accelerated weightloss, a delayed return of fertility (fewer cycles!), improved health for both baby and mother, plus others. But especially, I truly love the bond I get to share with my babies while they are still little. I am thankful that Michael is also a strong advocate for breastfeeding, and encourages me to nurse until each baby is 2 years old.. although so far, because of pregnancies, that hasn't been possible! The longest nurser so far has been Nathan, who made it 18 months before I become pregnant with Judah. There are plenty of mothers who actually nurse through pregnancy, as well, however, for me, with each child, once I become pregnant, the nursling decides to wean, perhaps because supply decreases or taste changes somehow.

I love that God's design is for my body to not only grow and care for a baby in my womb, but also at my breast after birth. I have precious memories of the closeness and bonding I've shared with each boy before they've gotten big enough to always want Daddy instead! The time that they are small is so short, and I treasure it.

Here are a few helpful breastfeeding links, there are tons more out there, as well!

• KellyMom
• La Leche League
• Ask Dr. Sears
• Breastfeeding.com
  

Also, uddercovers.com is offering a FREE nursing cover! Shipping is $7.95, but that is a great price! I've never used a nursing cover because they're a bit pricey when a blanket does the same job, but for $7.95 I figured, why not? Go to uddercovers.com, click on their "Essence" covers and enter in the promo code "onefree". You can choose from either blue or pink! Enjoy!

Scientific Benefits of Breastfeeding and Childbearing

Mrs. Parunak at Pursuing Titus 2 has a fascinating blog post about the health benefits of childbearing and breastfeeding. I've always heard that the more children a woman has, and the longer a woman breastfeeds are both beneficial to her health, but I've never really heard much of the "science" behind it. Being that I love learning new things, I was very interested to read about it! Here's a basic summary, but for more detail, be sure to check out "Telling the Truth About Birth Control" at Pursuing Titus 2! This will seem lengthy, but its really worth reading!

A 2002 article in New Scientist proclaimed that modern women in the UK were facing breast cancer rates as high as those of childless nuns in the nineteenth century and said,

Western women could reduce their breast cancer risk by nearly 60 per cent if they returned to pre-industrial levels of fertility and breastfeeding….For each child a woman has, her risk of the disease declines by 7.0 per cent. On top of this, for every year that she breast feeds, her risk declines by 4.3 per cent.

So how does this work? Why would a “return to pre-industrial fertility” help save women’s lives? Why is it that any decrease in childbearing, or postponement of childbearing increases your breast cancer risk? It’s because estrogen itself is a carcinogen. Every month a woman has a menstrual cycle, she is exposing herself to estrogen. That’s dangerous any time it happens, but it’s worse if she hasn’t had a full term pregnancy yet. This is why delaying childbearing “until you and your husband have gotten to know each other,” or “until you get your career established,” is actually risky business. The earlier you have your first baby, the lower your breast cancer risk. According to Daniel B. Kopans, M.D., Director of the Breast Imaging Center at Massachusetts General Hospital,

…a woman who has her first full-term pregnancy by the age of 18 has about one-third the risk of developing breast cancer as a woman who has her first full-term pregnancy after age 30.

When a girl reaches puberty, her breasts start to develop, but they don’t actually finish developing until she begins making milk for her first baby. The immature breasts of a woman who has not yet gone through pregnancy and breastfeeding are composed of type 1 and 2 lobules. (A lobule is a milk duct and several milk producing glands around it.) In fact, 70% of this woman’s breast tissue is type 1. Type 1 lobules are the most susceptible to breast cancer. 80% of breast cancers are formed in Type 1 lobules. 10% form in type 2 lobules. When women reach the last eight weeks of their first full term pregnancy, at least 70% of their breast tissue matures to type 3 lobules, and then when they begin nursing, their breasts fill with milk and become type 4 lobules. Type 3 and 4 lobules are cancer resistant. The sooner a woman’s breast tissue matures to type 3 and 4 lobules, the safer she will be from breast cancer because she will have exposed her cancer-vulnerable, immature breasts to fewer menstrual cycles, and therefore fewer onslaughts of estrogen. And the more babies she has, the more lobules will mature. (For more information, click here and read the excellent FAQ.)

But not only do many women delay and/or decrease childbearing, they do so through hormonal contraception (like the Pill), which contains steroidal estrogen. And while it is claimed that estrogen given with progesterone (as it always is in hormonal birth control) is not dangerous, there have been numerous studies linking hormonal contraception with increased breast cancer risk. A Mayo clinic meta-analysis of 23 studies found that 21implied increased risk, and combining the studies gave an estimated 44% increase in pre-menopausal breast cancer risk in women who used the Pill before their first full term pregnancy. The World Health Organization, in its own studies, found the risk to be slightly lower (24%), but still high enough to be scary, to me anyway. (Read more here. Click on “Girls on Steroids”)

The Lord never ceases to amaze me! Its incredible the way that He designed our bodies to naturally be protected just by following His blessing of "be fruitful and multiply"!

Neat Sesame Street Clip

This was from an episode back in the 70's. Very cool! :-D

(For best audio, press the pause button on the Sonific SongSpot to the left!)