SortaCrunchy

SortaCrunchy Recommends: Wearing the new baby (and beyond)

I'm feeling babywearing vibes from all over today!

First of all, I saw this post at Adventures in Babywearing wherein Stephanie has created a fab babywearing bloggers blogroll.  Next, I got an email from the wonderful company that started me out in wearing Baby Dacey - Lucky Baby.  (Who wants 10% off a new Lucky Baby sling?  Enter code LUCKY17 at checkout and voila!  10% off your next purchase today through March!)  Thirdly, my sister was telling me about her friend whose three week old son cries and cries unless she is holding him.  Oh my yes, do I know what that is like.  I told my sister her friend needs to get herself  sling!

All of this serves as motivation for me to finally publish a post I've been meaning to get written since my friend Megan (FriedOkra) asked me for my recommendations a while back.  A long while back.  Sorry, Megan!

Megan's question:
I need your ponderous, careful input about slings vs. wraps for newborns. What have you used and why? CAN one really get the right sling/wrap and learn how to NURSE baby in one? Ever?

I don't know about ponderous or careful, but I am always more than happy to share my experiences!  I wrote a bit about my general babywearing recommendations back in November, but wearing the newborn is an art in and of itself.

I didn't know about babywearing (beyond the Snugli) until D was about five or six months old, so I don't have a ton of newborn babywearing experience.  I have been wearing AJ since she was born, and I will be happy to share what worked for us in the earliest days and weeks - a ring sling.  My personal favorite is my Chicken Scratch ring sling, but there are a ton of wonderfully made and gorgeous unpadded ring slings on the market.

I like ring slings because they are infinitely adjustable and versatile.  I wore AJ in the tummy-to-tummy hold when she was a newborn and switched to the hip carry when she was six or eight weeks old.  A ring sling should last you on into toddlerhood, making it a great buy if you can only afford to have one carrier in your stash.

As far as nursing a baby in a sling?  Well, I've never been able to, but I also have oversupply issues combined with overactive letdown in the first six weeks of breastfeeding.  I have heard tell of plenty of mamas who have been able to nurse their babies while wearing them.  I'm just not one of them.  I would bet perusing the archives at TheBabyWearer forums would be helpful to anyone wanting to get tips on how to do this.  Also, I bet the mamas at your local La Leche League or Attachment Parenting International meetings would be able to give hands-on help.

Megan asked what I have used, so that's my recommendation based on actual experience.  There are many, many women who love a lightweight wrap for newborns.  The Moby is a particularly popular choice.  I've never worn a wrap, mostly because all the fabric is a little intimidating to me.  Wrap fans tend to really, really love their wraps, so there's got to be something to that.  Honestly, if I didn't already have a mei tai, I would have probably preferred a wrap.  My mei tai allows me to be totally hands-free, and I would imagine a wrap is the same way.  I think it is particularly important to have something you feel good about needing to do very few adjustments with your carrier if you have more than one child in your care.  The only drawback to a lightweight wrap is eventually baby will be too heavy to wear in it, so you'll have to choose a new carrier.  (and when I say lightweight, I am not thinking of the super gorgeous, heavy duty, woven wraps like Storchs and Didys!)

If you are able to get more than one carrier, I cannot tell you enough how much I love our Ergo.  Unfortunately, I hear rumblings that Ergo's business practices have not been so great lately (particularly to work-at-home parent businesses), so my glowing review of the Ergo is a little hesitant now, but I seriously could not survive these days without ours.  AJ spends a lot of time riding on my back in it around the house.  It makes my life so. much. easier.  There are lots of soft-structured carriers (also known in some places as buckle carriers) on the market today.  Here's a sampling at Attached to Baby: Buckle Baby Carriers.  (Personally, I am drooling over the Beco Butterfly!)  A buckle carrier is definitely a carrier that will take you far past infancy, so if you have some extra money in the budget or a doting grandma-to-be who wants to indulge you, I highly recommend one of these type carriers.

I'd love to hear from ya'll!  What was your favorite baby carrier for the newborn stage?  Did you find it was a good carrier for beyond infancy?  I'm always looking to increase my babywearing knowledge.  Please share!

Natural Thrush Remedy

We are still enjoying some nice, quiet Spring Break family time, but I wanted to pop in and post this while it's fresh on my mind.

When D was a baby, we went through a go-round with thrush that left me irritated with the disappointing lack of results from nystatin.  I sought out a natural treatment and found gentian violet to be recommended, but not without concerns (namely, the possible link to oral cancer as well as the fact that it is messy).   Further digging led me to grapefruit seed extract.  Some mamas on a cloth diapering board I used to frequent had put together some great information on how to use grapefruit seed extract to treat thrush. (Unfortunately, that forum has undergone an overhaul and the archives are no longer accessible, so I am afraid I cannot properly credit these women.)

Here are the basics on GSE use for thrush:

* Make a solution of ten drops GSE per one ounce of distilled water
* Paint baby's mouth with a cotton swab every two hours and before each feeding
* Paint nipples after feeding and let air dry
* If needed, paint diaper area as well; air dry
* If you don't see results after two days, increase GSE to fifteen to twenty drops per one ounce

Other tips for battling thrush:

* It is possible for the nursing couple to pass thrush back and forth without baby being symptomatic and vice-versa.  It's important to treat both mother and baby.
* Don't use lansinoh to treat nipple pain.  It will trap moisture and help the yeast to thrive.
* There is conflicting advice on how to treat items that come in contact with the yeast (diapers, bras, breast shields, pacifiers, etc.).  Some sources say to boil these items, other sources say boiling water causes the yeast to form a chiton (hard shell) to protect itself and to kill the yeast this way, you must boil for a very long time.  I've heard reports that a scoop of baking soda in the laundry will change the pH of the wash and effectively kill the yeast.  I've personally found soaking pacifiers in a GSE solution works well, too.  I also don't use cloth diapers when we are battling a yeast infection.
* A great way to treat sore, cracked nipples is to mix up a cream of equal parts clotrimizole (like Monistat or Lotrimin), hydrocortizone, and neosporin.  Apply to nipples after every feeding; if any residue is left before you begin the next feeding, gently wipe it away.  This cream will help with both the itching and pain for the nursing mother.  I have also used this cream sparingly to treat yeast diaper rash.

The reason this is fresh on my mind is I'm afraid the round of antibiotics AJ was on to treat her ear infection have led to a round of thrush for us.  Not fun, but manageable. 

I'll be around more after this week is over!

Six months letter to AJ

Oh my dear, sweet Joyful Joy,

How can it be that six months ago today, at this very moment, we were welcoming you into this world?  Six months?  I can hardly believe even six weeks have passed . . . let alone half of a year. 

For all my good intentions, this is the first time I've actually made time to sit down and write to you to celebrate the passing of another month.  I'm sorry for that, and I hope that you'll forgive me. 

You continue to amaze and delight Daddy and I with your sweet, peaceful, happy, laid-back personality.  It's unbearably easy to get you to smile, and Daddy and I find it irresistible to make fools out of ourselves to keep that little baby grin on your face.  You've been sick with your first ear infection for the past week, and it's been awful to see such a happy baby be so miserable with discomfort. 

In the past few weeks, you have mastered the art of sitting up on your own and are now completely over being laid on your back to play on the floor.  If you happen to fall out of the sitting position, you flip yourself on your tummy as quickly as possible.  As I watch you playing on your tummy, I can see in your eyes and the way you are working your muscles that it's not going to be too terribly long before you just take off.

You absolutely adore and idolize your big sister.  Dacey can make you grin and laugh through no exertion of effort other than just being in the room.  Your favorite is watching her jump on the bed.  That gives you the biggest case of the baby giggles, and that makes Dacey laugh, too.  Oh, be careful, my sweet one.  That Dacey is bossy and I'm already a little fearful of the plans she has in store for her devoted tag-along.  But Big Sister is becoming increasingly interested and involved with you now, too, and that makes me happy.  When you start fussing, she is quick to tell me, "I think she needs mama milk, Mommy!"  She loves to watch you eat your cereal and likes to help Mama give you a bath each evening. 

Everyone, from friends to strangers at the grocery store, comment on your bright eyes and engaging smile.  You seem constantly amazed with and impressed by each person and place you experience.  I wonder what you are thinking inside that sweet head of yours.  I bet it will just be a  matter of time before you're telling us your thoughts, and I can't wait to hear.

Here are some snapshots of you at six months:

And, of course, some of Sister (so no one gets jealous!):

Mommy and Daddy love you girls so much, Aliza.  It's a little bittersweet for me today as I know the changes the next six months will bring.  But it's a fun time - the best part of babyhood in my opinion.  You're awake now and definitely needing some mama milk, so this is all I have time for.  I love you.  Happy six months!

Love,
Mommy

Seven Things about Me Me Me Meme!

Dare I say it?  I think the girls and I are ready to rejoin the Land of the Living and Well.

I know different versions of this yucky, cough-y, lingering bug are all over the place.  Thanks so much for the sweet words of well wishes while we were down with it.

Weeks ago, my funny and insightful friend Missy at It's Almost Naptime tagged me with a Me Me Me Me Meme.  Last week, my wildly talented friend Stephanie at Providence Handmade tagged me with a Seven Things Meme.  In order to be efficient and to spare you from suffering through thirteen random blabberings about myself, I am going to mish-mash the two into a Seven Things about Me Me Me Meme!

Okay, here are the rules...

1. When tagged place the name and URL on your blog.

2. Post rules on your blog.

3. Write 6 (or 7) non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.

4. Name 6 (or 7) of your favorite blogs.

5. Send an email/comment on their blog letting them know they have been tagged.

Here goes!

1. I recently shared this with my Prayer Coffee friends, but not many other people know this.  Human hair, off the head, completely grosses me out.  Like hair in a hairbrush, on the bathtub rim, in the sink . . . all of it, even my own.  Makes. Me. Gag.  As evidence of the sacrificial way my man loves me, let me tell you he has been cleaning out my hairbrushes for me for the past ten years.  My wonderful younger sister had to do it for me before that.  I don't know where this came from, nor can I explain it.  It's just one of my many quirks!

2. Although I was a hard-core Clinique fan for many, many years, last year I switched to Bare Minerals and haven't looked back.  I don't wear much make-up anyway, and the Bare Minerals just smooths things over for me.  I do still love some Clinique lipstick though!

3. I use the Oil Cleansing Method of face care.

4. Here's a quirk about the way my body works - I only nurse from one breast.  Last month, I told Megan about how my Righty doesn't quite work right, so we all have to rely on Lefty to do the work around here.  I don't know what is wrong with Righty - some kind of boob malfunction.  D never would nurse from that side, but I chalked it up to her persnickety personality.  When Easy Baby AJ shunned that side, too, I decided perhaps it is Righty who is persnickety and allowed her to opt out of the breastfeeding experience.  Just so you know, it's entirely possible to nurse from one side only - as all seventeen and a half pounds of six month old AJ will testify to!

5. My heart thrills to the announcement of the April 10th return of The Office.

6. I am very seriously considering getting my nose pierced.

7.  I would really like to lose fifteen pounds and/or get back into my size 8s before The Coach and I celebrate our ten year anniversary in June, but I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally don't want to change my eating or start exercising.  So I'll let you know how that works out for me.

Two of the chicas I was going to tag - Alana of Gray Matters and Birdie at BirdBrain - just posted their 100 Things, so I won't torture them with this.  Instead, I choose:

GreenStyleMom at GreenStyleMom

Long-time friend and new to blogging Suzy at Coping with Chaos

Laura at Sweet Awakenings

Veggiemommy at Here We Go Again!

Sheila at Mom-fessions

Jen at Kickboxing Mama

and

Christie at 'Tis But a Season

Enjoy!

Little Sister says

Hi. I'm Aliza Joy. I'm big.

As you can see.

My mom's hands are awfully busy today. She's been visiting each one of the Big Bloggy Move participants and is so excited that so many bloggers played along! Also, one of Daddy's friends is in town and has been staying with us, so that makes Mommy feel the need to keep things picked up constantly. That takes a lot of time for Mommy but I like it because I get to ride on Mommy's back in the Ergo.

Anyway, Mommy wanted you to read this article if you have a chance because she says it's extremely fascinating: Breast milk contains stem cells

Mommy says she'll try to be back to posting real content later this week.

The light, the tunnel, the end approaches

Almost there, girls. Almost there. Tomorrow is the 30th and I will be released for the self-imposed tyranny of NaBloPoMo. Again, thank you so much for your words of encouragement - especially here at the end.

By way of advance warning, I want to tell you after tomorrow I am taking a week off from publishing posts. I have been sorely neglectful of reading and commenting on some of my favorite blogs and I am craving some time to just luxuriate in all kinds of bloggy reading goodness.

I haven't done a Thursday Thirteen in a while and the lure of a list proves to be irresistible . . .

In Which I Reflect on NaBloPoMo'ing

1. I do not like to post every day.
2. I much prefer to take the weekends off from posting.
3. Answering questions from my readers really was quite fun.
4. I definitely appreciate all who submitted questions (and by the way, those I haven't gotten to will not go unanswered. I am saving them for a rainy day.).
5. Talking about my own views and history and experiences day after day gets really boring really quickly.
6. I did have fun guest posting at Velveteen Mind. I would like to guest post more often, I think.
7. Posting every day is a lot of pressure, and I don't know how mega Bloggers like Michelle at Scribbit do it.
8. I am so stinkin' proud of myself for following through and finishing a project!
9. There is much to be said for public accountability as motivation to stick to something.
10. I hope I win a prize, dang it.
11. Hmmmm, that's just about all I have to say about NaBloMoPo.
12. Just for fun, here's a few of the Google searches that brought readers to SortaCrunchy in the past month . . .

sugar makes teeth hurt - well yes, actually it does, doesn't it? Especially if you are drinking my Texas Sweet Tea.

mother babe breast - not sure what to say about that . . . I do have one of the first and two each of the others if that helps you out at all.

t - Really? You did a Google search on a letter? And really? It brought you here? Strange, that.

moldy BREAD, BREASTFEEDING - and again, I am just unsure of what to say about that.

Back to my list . . .

13. So, NaBloPoMo. You and I are about to part ways. Knowing what I know now, would I do it all over again? Yeah, I sorta think I would. It's definitely been one of those things where if I hadn't participated, I would always wonder if I had what it takes to do it.

And that last statement strikes me as being just a bit too serious. It's just blogging, after all.

Labels: blogging, general chatter, NaBloPoMo, Thursday Thirteen

de-lovely!

De-lovely is seeing the big ol' grin on AJ's face when she is getting ready to nurse. The big ol' grin is usually accompanied by a delightful excited baby laugh, as well.

I'd love to know - what's delightful, delicious, and de-lovely in your life this weekend?

Labels: baby, breastfeeding, general chatter, NaBloPoMo

Good stuff

I have thought and pondered for the past 24 hours on a clever, witty post title for today. You can see about how well my brain is operating right now!

Anyway, these are thirteen things that make me happy these days:

1) My Avent Isis breast pump

2) Lansinoh ultra thin breast/nursing pads (yeah, the wool ones didn't work out as well as I had hoped)

3) Lansinoh cleanse and condition wipes for the breastfed baby

4) Mei Tai Baby

5) Ultimate Swaddling Blanket (pink mod circles!)

6) Short hair

7) Halloween costumes

8) Pink (the color, not the singer . . . although I am sure she is quite lovely, too)

9) The Tyra Banks show (never watched it until I was up with AJ and found our local Fox station shows last week's episodes at three a.m. She's great company at that hour!)

10) Best nursing bra ever

11) Mums (fall!)

12) My artist

13) Baby smiles

Don't forget to come by tomorrow for the return of Bit O' Crunchy giveaway!

Labels: Thursday Thirteen

And her nest? It was feathered . . .

*big, huge sigh of relief*

Well, sweet friends, as I sit and type, I can rest in the knowing that if Little Sister decides to surprise and delight her hot, tired, and cranky mama by arriving early, at least we have things prepared for her.

I can assure you that the very fact that we are mostly ready for her to be here will certainly guarantee that she will stay put until the appointed day (September 5th - have I mentioned that lately?). Oh, sure, there are a few odds and ends on the list to be completed (such fun treats as cleaning out and cleaning up my car and making a trip to Sam's to stock up on some household stuff), but for the most part, I feel satisfied in where things stand right now.

And speaking of lists, I wanted to share a few things I have come across in the midst of my nesting craze that I think are pretty neat. (It seems nesting and spending are synonymous in my vocabulary these days. It's shocking, really, the amount of moolah I have dropped on Little Sister . . . perhaps already anticipating and overcompensating for Middle Child syndrome?)

My new carrier dilemma solved itself when I came across a darling adjustable Mei Tai Baby on the for-sale-or-trade forum at thebabywearer.com. I cannot wait to try this lovely out with LS and will be sure to post action pics for everyone.

I could not decide what to do about the nursing pads (reusable or disposable?), so I got some of each. A big ol' box of trusty Lansinoh disposable pads and a set of Imse Vimse pear shaped wool pads. (I really wanted to try the LANA wool pads that Noah so highly recommends, but I just couldn't quite make that big of an investment yet. I would need the medium size in the Ekstra style, so that adds up. I may still get some, though, if the Imse Vimses don't work out.)

Let's see, what else? Oh yeah - I discovered these really great nursing bras, at Ebay of all places! YES nursing bras may very well be the best of the bunch I have tried so far. I'm of the larger-chested tribe of mamas and no underwire bras (nursing or otherwise) usually just don't meet my needs, but I am loving the design this mama has put together. I ordered one to try (I mean, for $17.99 including shipping, what the heck?) and loved it so much that I ordered another in the next size up to get me through those first weeks/months of nursing a newborn voluptuousness . . .

I've gotten newborn cloth diapers and covers galore and I can't wait to share my experience with you as we begin that journey. I love the idea of a newborn swaddled all in cloth from her sweet-smelling head down to her tiny, tiny toes.

And speaking of swaddling, I was thrilled to see new designs available in our family's very favorite swaddling blanket - the Ultimate Swaddling Blanket. D's is the very sweet but very basic lavender dots print. (To this day, that blankie goes with her most everywhere. Such a Linus!) I decided to be a little more bold in choosing for Little Sis, so I picked out the Pink Mod Circle print this time. Fun!

Lots of things swirling about and cluttering this mama's mind these days . . . I hope to get them posted, if for nothing else than to be a record for me to look back on and remember one day. Thanks for your patience during my brief sabbatical. I look forward to catching up with everyone soon!

Labels: baby, babywearing, breastfeeding

SortaWhat? Part Two

Wow, I will tell you what . . . There is nothing like being out of town for the better part of a week to allow a mama to see how much she does around the house on a daily basis! D and I got home Friday night and I am just now climbing out from under the piles of laundry and dust bunnies.

(And on that note, I am so terribly, TERRIBLY behind on my blog reading. Reading the blogs of both my friends and the amazing women whom I have "met" in the blogosphere is such an important part of my day. I am suffering from tremendous blogger guilt and frustration in not being able to read and comment as much as I would like to, and Google Reader is just taunting me by reminding me I have 100+ posts to peruse! Anyway, soon and very soon I will be back in the swing of things.)

So to continue the conversation on why I choose to identify myself as "sort of" crunchy (yep, Katherine, as in granola-y . . . mmmmmmm, granola . . .), I am just going to outline the natural family living (NFL for short, but not the kind of NFL your man wants you to appreciate) practices that are an important part of my life.

Natural Family Living Philosophies/Beliefs I practice:

* child-led weaning
I used to say "extended breastfeeding," but I have taken a step away from that term for now. Breastfeeding advocacy is very important to me, but at the same time, I want to emphasize that I believe in a mutual weaning process. I have friends online and in my community whose babies simply would have nothing more to do with the breast after nine months or six months or some age earlier than a year old. In these cases, the breastfeeding mother would have loved to have practiced "extended breastfeeding" (general term for breastfeeding past a year), but saw the need to balance her desire to breastfeed with her desire to respect and follow her baby's desires.

I found that Kellymom was a great place to start in researching common questions and concerns regarding breastfeeding past infancy.

* cloth diapering
I have a ton of posts about cloth diapering which you could easily access through my Blogger tags. When it comes down to it, I love cloth diapering because I think it is best for the environment, best for baby's skin, and definitely best in overall cuteness. :)

* babywearing
Although that particular "label" may be new to some, the art of wearing a baby is as old as time. You've no doubt seen mainstream versions of babywearing in the form of Baby Bjorn and New Native carriers, but those carriers are just the very tippy-top of the babywearing iceberg.

I had toyed with idea of buying a carrier before D was born; I had no idea the high-needs baby about to be delivered to me would make it a necessity rather than luxury to have some kind of device by which to keep her on me for the majority of the day. I have worn D in ring slings, pouch slings, Mei Teis (Asian Baby Carriers), and my personal favorite for toddlerhood - the Ergo.

TheBabywearer.Com offers a vast array of babywearing information. These articles say it all much better than I ever could!

* emphasis on whole foods (organic when possible)
I feel guilty even mentioning this because pregnancy triggers within me non-stop cravings for junk! and sugar! and junk! and comfort foods! and junk!

But in my normal, non-pregnant life, I try to make the healthiest cooking and eating choices available to me and my family. Last summer, The Coach and I went vegetarian for a while and really enjoyed the change. D is a born vegetarian (seriously, the only meat the child will eat is turkey lunch meat and corn dogs from Sonic *red-face*). We love to shop the local farmers' market and are thankful we don't live near enough to a Whole Foods Market to shop there because we manage to spend astronomical amounts of money on each visit to that holy mecca.

* shared sleep (co-sleeping)
EDITED - It wasn't until I went upstairs to lay down with D for a nap that I remembered that we also practice shared sleep!
We never intended to be co-sleepers, but again, it was one of those things that just sort of happened. Now I cannot wait for Little Sister to be here so we can snuggle a wee one between us in bed again. Big Sister sleeps in her crib full-time now (well, with the rare exception - like last night when a bad dream awakened her and her daddy said, "Just let her sleep with us . . ."), so I miss that snuggle time at night.

The Sears site has some great information (including VERY important safety tips) on co-sleeping.

* Attachment Parenting
One need not practice NFL in order to practice Attachment Parenting, but by and large, the same parents who are drawn to natural living also find they connect with the Attachment Parenting philosophy. I will not try to reinvent the wheel here on what AP is. A great deal of information is available at askdrsears.com including What Attachment Parenting Is and What It Is Not. Some time ago, I also shared how it came to be that Attachment Parenting chose me.

Natural Family Living Philosophies/Beliefs I Do Not Practice (or Why I Am Not One Hundred Percent Crunchy)

At this point in time, we believe we are led to send our children to public schools. There are many in the NFL community who choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons. The Coach and I feel a special call to have our children in public schools, but we are open to whatever God leads us to do at any given time for any of our children.

Also at this time, if we are blessed with a son, we will choose to have him circumcised. This is very unusual in the NFL community as a whole, but it is an issue about which The Coach holds strong feelings and I am at peace in following his leadership in this area.

D has been vaccinated on schedule. You will find many families who practice natural living choose not to vaccinate their children. After much discussion and thoughtful consideration, we feel vaccinating is a good choice for us at this time. The two of us are currently in negotiations over whether or not Little Sister will be vaxed on schedule. I would like to follow a delayed vax schedule, but that is not set in stone yet.

Finally, as I have recently talked about, I am choosing an elective repeat c-section for Little Sister's delivery. As much as I fully support and strongly believe in the beauty and power of a natural vaginal delivery, there are factors that complicate and muddy my situation that have turned what could be a black-and-white issue into a big gray area for me.

So there ya have it! A fairly concise picture of me straddling the fence between crunchy and mainstream. Thankfully I am not posting an actual picture of me straddling anything! My big ol' pregnant self does not need to be shown straddling anything at this moment in time.

That reminds me, I think I owe ya'll a belly shot . . . no fences. I promise.

Labels: babywearing, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, food, general natural family living