Nursing / Weaning question - responses

Here are some good (and a few not so good) responses that I got from an email list to the Nursing / Weaning questions that some people may ask. Some of these I will try to remember.

Responses to "Are you still nursing?"

No, I'm not, my mother lives too far away. My son is, though.
Of course! Nothing but the best for your grandson! (or nephew or whatever)
Yes, isn't it amazing? I am so glad he's not in a hurry to grow up.
Yes, it's really been a life-saver, it is the only liquid he'll drink when he's not feeling well.
Absolutely, isn't love a wonderful thing?
Yes! (then hold up your hand expecting the other person to high-five you)
Right now? No, he's over there playing. I need him to do it.
I was never a nurse. I don't like needles! I'm an Accountant, remember?
Yes, his doctor is so thrilled. So many moms give up due to pressures of friends and family. (hint hint)
Yes, and he's a real pro at it. I am so proud of him.
Everyone asks that, it must be because he's so incredibly healthy. (not really answering, but it gets the point across that you aren't planning on answering)
I get that question all the time. It is so great that people are looking out for him! (again, not answering)
Yes, he deserves the very best. He's such a good baby.
(for someone who continuously asks) It is funny how people ask that, but then they don't really want to know.
(for someone who continuously asks) Of course, I am glad you keep asking. It shows you want the best for him.
(and another for someone who is hounding you to no end) Do you really want to know this time? You didn't seem satisfied with my answer last time.

Responses to "When are you planning on weaning?"

I'm not. He'll wean me.
Before he graduates.
He hasn't told me yet.
I haven't asked him yet. He doesn't really make plans for the future at this point. He just does things day to day.
I don't know, I guess when my milk dries up. (confuse a person who has no clue about breastfeeding)
I hope not for a while. We're both enjoying our time together.
I don't know, when the puppies weaned, they were taken away from their mother. It doesn't seem like such a great thing to me.
(sometimes they ask, "when will you start giving him cow's milk?") Not sure maybe if he starts thinking he is a calf.
What, and get my PMS back? are you crazy?
I don't know. He seems to still enjoy it and I enjoy those extra 500 calories I burn.
It is so hard to plan anything with a baby. We're just doing things day to day.
We're in no rush, he has time to make up his own mind.
Thanks for asking. Everyone seems to need an answer for that except for me and my child.
(and another for someone who is hounding you to no end) It depends, when are you planning on asking me again?

Okay, so some of these are a little snippy and not-so-nice, but sometimes that attitude would apply. Do try and be polite to people who are simply misinformed, but be as snotty as you like to people who just won't mind their own business!

"Are you STILL nursing?"

Of course, I wouldn't dare ask someone else to do it for me!
What do you mean still? The bare minimum is two years!
Obviously. ..Are you STILL afraid of seeing a breast? (a good one for someone looking at you nursing with a disgusted look on their face)
Yep! The equipment is still in operation.
Yep! He's still my child, isn't he?
Of course! He still needs his mommy!
Absolutely! It's a great way for both of us to take a break!
Actually, he's the one doing the nursing, I just sit here.

When are you going to wean?

I weaned a long time ago, when I was two I think.
(pause) Oh, you were talking to me? I thought you were asking him...he can't answer you yet.
Weaning isn't even in his vocabulary yet.
Not sure, I hope he is allowed to nurse as long as he likes.
Oh...sometime in the future. (be vague, it gets them every time!)
I suppose whenever he stops nursing, that would be a good time.
That's funny, I was going to ask you when are you planning on going vegetarian. (or something equally as ridiculous to ask)

Isn't he a little old for that?
(while nursing) Apparently not, the equipment still works for him.
(surprised) What?! He isn't even out of diapers!
I used to think like you, but then I nursed a baby for the first time and all the rules changed.
His doctor didn't think so.
Aren't you a little old to be wearing those jeans?
Nope, he's only three, that's not very old considering he'll live to be 100 or so.
Obviously he isn't.
If I thought that way, would I still do it?
No, I don't think he is, do you? (if they say "yes" then answer, "well, then you already had your answer didn't you")

He doesn't NEED to nurse at this age!

He doesn't need his teddy bear either but we still give it to him.
Maybe not, why don't you read up on it for me. Maybe you can find out if there is an expiration date for my milk.
Only HE knows what he needs and obviously he still needs it.
(laugh) Where did you hear that?
Shhh - not in front of him, you'll make him feel bad. (then later say "I would prefer it if you wouldn't talk about nursing in front of the baby. How would you feel if someone was telling you that you were too old for something?")
He can HEAR you, you know.
And you don't NEED to eat that doughnut, but you still are.

He should be drinking cow's milk from a cup by now.

I am sure he knows how, but if you were him, which would you prefer?
Why? Are we raising him to be a cow?
He likes human milk from these cups better at the moment.
I would like to see where that "rule" is written down.
Why? Human milk is made for humans... and it's free!
And you should be OVER the whole thing by now, are you still afraid of a breastfeeding child?

Why you should make your baby's food - Suite101.com gives some instructions: When the food is softened, transfer to the appliance of your choice. I have used a blender and a food processor with success both times. Add a little bit (1-2 tbs at a time) of the liquid of your choice, and puree. The consistency should be smooth -- like the food you see in the baby food jars at the grocery stores! Serve immediately, or freeze in individual servings. To do this, transfer the puree to an ice cube tray (each cube should be a generous tablespoon). Wrap in freezer wrap and freeze. Then pop the food out of the ice cube tray and place in a freezer bag with a use-by date (you can freeze them for up to three months, but if you used formula or breastmilk, only freeze for six weeks).

How to Make Homemade Baby Food
France's Recipes for Teething Biscuits, Cookies, Crackers and Rusks
Baby Food Cookbook - A Practical Mother's Guide

Making rice cereal

According to the author of the article The low-down on making baby cereal - Suite101.com "Super Baby Food" is the best source for information on making baby cereal. To make rice cereal, the book recommends you buy whole-grain rice and put about 1/4 cup of it in your blender and blend for 2 minutes (a full 2 minutes) so that it is a full powder, with no big chunks. Then, boil 1 cup of water and slowly add the powdered rice while stirring and turn down the stove to the low. Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid scorching. It should look like cereal when it is done. This makes three to four servings, depending on the appetite of your baby! And it will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also adjust the thickness by adding more water (or breastmilk before serving) or using a bit more powdered rice.

2 more shots

It was not as traumatic for either mother or son this time. I nursed DS while he got his shots (the last of his "2 month" and the first of his "4 month" doses). During the first one he hollered then looked at the nurse as if saying, What are you doing to me? After she finished he went back to nursing and didn't even stop during the 2nd shot.

Okay, I have probably gone a little overboard with vaccine links, but here are some of the pages that I read today while trying to decide what to do at DS's 6 month checkup today:
Vaccination Links
Summary of rules for childhood immunization - This one has a lookup by state and a clear chart of what is required by law for licensed Day Care, Head Start, and K-12 public schools.
Vaccine Education Center-Resources for Healthcare Professionals
NIP: Pubs / Six Misconceptions about Vaccines
NIP: Pubs / Parents-Guide / Parents Guide to Childhood Immunization
NIP: Publications / Pink Book / Normal Format
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
NIP: Vaccine / Public Chart
NIP: Vaccine / Health Care Professionals Chart

ImmunizationEd.org's Shots 2002 program for Handheld computers (PDAs).

Manna

One of the ladies on the pumpmoms email list compared mother's milk to manna... God will supply the right amount for the day. I sure like that analogy! I will remember it when the low supply days come and I have to use bottles from my freezer stash (which is now up to a whopping 5 bottles with 2 oz each). That is the most since we used up the ones from when DS came home from the hospital, and only 2-3 weeks ago we had none.

New tooth

... mine, not DS's. :-) I chipped a tooth last week and got it fixed today. Usually they just file the rough spot down, but since this was a lower incisor, filing would have made it much shorter than the other lower incisor. My dentist added some material and bonded it to my tooth, so now they are almost the same size again, and the repaired one is even slightly smoother than the other one on the back side.

Feeding At A Glance: Birth - 24 months
Starting Solid Foods
Making Your Own Baby Food
FAQ's
Books by Bill and Martha Sears

I'm up late (early a.m.) surfing for two reasons: 1) DS is asleep and I can, and 2) DH is not home yet and I want to wait up for him even though he said I didn't need to. XOXoxo

We got a reminder card from DS's DCP that they need information about his immunizations. (He turns 6 months next week.) We are "two months behind" but are actually not even sticking to all of the recommendations late either. This page, YOUR CHILD'S IMMUNIZATIONS, is from Dr. Sears. It talks about all of the standard shots, has a common schedule, and has suggestions for spreading out the shots and decreasing the number of injections. I told the head DCP that DS has an appointment next Friday, which is true, but I implied that he would be getting all of his shots then, and he probably won't. I need to find all of the information again and really examine it and my motives.

This article, Growth Spurts, supports my theory that DS is at the end of a growth spurt.

9 hours

DS slept 9 hours straight last night! I'm pretty sure that is a record.Based on his eating and sleeping habits and how his clothes fit, I think he is finishing up a growth spurt. A week ago he was sleeping 2-3 hours at a time at most and eating like crazy, so I could barely keep up. Now I am double pumping, so my supply is up, but he seems to be eating less and sleeping more. Plus he is now sitting up alone for long periods of time and catching himself when he starts to tip over sometimes. His 3-6 month size clothes are almost all too small, too.

Mike and Deanna Patterson from For Better or For Worse had their baby October 10... FBorFW Fix - Official website for Lynn Johnston's comic strip family... Thursday's shows Deanna breastfeeding.

ZZZZZZzzzzzzzz

I sure had fun at the pumpkin patch yesterday morning, but boy was I tired at the end of the day! I missed my morning nap (except for a little in the car), and mommy took me to Sweet Adelines so I was up very very late (but I did eat and nap while they watched the tape of last Saturday's show). I slept "all night" last night and was still in my cradle instead of the big bed when mommy's alarm started making noise. Mommy was very happy when she picked me up to feed me this morning. :-)

I tried to eat the pumpkin yesterday because my friends at daycare get to eat squash. It was pretty much just like any other big hard thing I get my mouth on, though. Mommy said I'll like it better if I let her cook it and smash it and feed it to me with a spoon.

Field Trip -- Pumpkins and Dirt

We went on a field trip to Pumpkin Junction with daycare this morning. DS seemed to enjoy himself. When we got out of the car he saw kids playing on playground equipment and just stared at them for a while. I carried him in the sling until the trailer ride started, then I sat him down on the bed of the truck where we were all sitting.

Once we reached the pumpkin patch, each child was allowed to pick one pumpkin and two gourds to take home. We looked around for a while and I picked up a green pumpkin. The tractor driver told me it was a pumpkin not a gourd and it would turn orange in a few days, especially if we took it inside where it was warm. I looked around some more and picked up two gourds, then I decided to get a pumpkin that was already orange. I sat DS on the ground with his treasures and others around him and snapped a few pictures. He sat up very well on his own but tipped over backwards a couple of times. He had enough padding that it didn't seem to bother him, but the one time that he tipped sideways and his face met the dirt he did cry. I'm pretty sure that this is the first time that he has ever seen dirt up close.

On the ride back to the parking lot he seemed to enjoy exploring his gourds. He "mouthed" the big pumpkin (only about 6" diameter) and put the small end of one of the gourds in his mouth also. One DCP had a camera, and I think she got a picture of that!

Introducing Solid Foods to Infants

Weird schedules this week

Monday morning DH stayed home with DS because DS and I were up a good portion of the night with his cough. I had to go in to work because of a major problem but had finally gotten DS to take his medicine around 6am and he was sleeping at last. We called daycare to report DS's absence, but DH had to go to work in the afternoon and DS was doing fine once the medicine started to work, so I took him there for the afternoon.

Monday night DS didn't nurse at bedtime and wouldn't take his medicine. We didn't sleep well. Tuesday morning I was supposed to be at work at 7am. Daycare doesn't open until 7, so I warned my coworkers that I wouldn't be there on time. I got up early enough and at 6:30 I thought I still might make it, but when I was still trying to get DS to take medicine at 7:05, I thought "Oh well, I get there when I get there." I gave up on the medicine and went to daycare. I got DS to take about 1/2 of the medicine in the car. The lead teacher called me around 11 reporting that DS was fussy and had only drunk about 1/2 oz all morning. He was pretty much refusing the bottle. Since I had just solved the big problem that I had been working on (the same problem from Monday and the reason for the 7am start), I went over and nursed him. He only nursed for a minute or two, but at least he did it 3 times while I was there. I left instructions to call again in the afternoon if he kept refusing the bottle. When I picked him up at 5pm they reported that he drank 5 oz (in 2 sittings) in the afternoon. Back to normal?

Tuesday night was about the same as Monday night, except I did get DS to take his medicine. (His congestion doesn't seem too bad, but he coughs quite a bit without the medicine.) I had a partially used bottle from daycare that DS wouldn't take, though, so I ended up dumping about 2 oz of MM. DH and I stayed up way too late, but we had some very important conversation. I'm guessing it was around 2am Wednesday when we finished. DS and I were up again during the night, so I decided to sleep in some. I finally got out of bed around 8 as DH was finishing getting ready to go to work. I asked the DCP to give DS his medicine since he wouldn't take it from me and to feed him at lunchtime since I have errands to run. I will be leaving work early to pick up our fundraiser sales and bring some of them back to the people at work who bought things.

Thursday daycare is taking a field trip to a pumpkin patch and I'm going, so I probably won't be at work in the morning at all.

Friday I will be taking the afternoon off because DH is singing at a competition. The competition lasts from noonish on Friday until late Saturday night. The only part I will get to see is Friday afternoon while DS is at daycare. At past competitions I have attended all events. DH's local group is hosting it this year and I really wish that I would have been able to help out, but it just didn't seem feasible.

Saturday I may be taking care of my niece for a long part of the day. My sister works from 11am-7pm and her husband is out of town for the weekend. Hopefully his niece will be able to split the babysitting with me. I do want to get some practice with caring for both DS and my niece together (because I still have a goal of dropping to part time and swapping child care with my sister), but I think an 8 hour block is bigger than I am ready for.

Milk Information

I sent the following in a note to the director of our day-care:

After chatting with you Monday afternoon and a conversation with an assistant last Friday, I thought it might be helpful for me to gather some information on storing human milk for you all. This information is taken from various research studies, books, internet pages, and La Leche League information. From the practices I have seen in the infant room, I'd say that the lead teacher and the staff probably already know most, if not all, of this information, but as a first-time mom I am eager to share what I learn.

Storage Guidelines - Fresh Mature milk

• kept at 25 C (79 F) - 4-6 hours


• kept at 19-22 C (66-72 F) - 10 hours


• kept at 15 C (59-60 F) - 24 hours


• refrigerated 0-4 C (32-39 F) - 8 days (since the door to the refrigerator in the infant room is opened so frequently, limiting it to 3-4 days would probably be a better guideline)

Storage Guidelines - Frozen milk

• freezer compartment located inside a refrigerator - 2 weeksk


• separate door refrigerator/freezer - 3-6 months (temperature varies because the door opens frequently)


• separate deep freeze at constant -19 C (0 F) - 6 months or longer

(I try to keep one spare bottle in the freezer in the infant room's refrigerator. If it could be kept in a separate freezer we could store it longer.)

How to Warm the Milk
Heat under warm, running water or by setting in a container of warm water; do not bring temperature of milk to boiling point; gently swirl before testing the temperature; do not use a microwave oven to heat human milk. Frozen milk can be thawed in the same way or in the refrigerator, which can take up to 12 hours. (See http://www.bflrc.com/ljs/breastfeeding/shakenot.htm for a good explanation in layman's terms of why to not shake breastmilk.)

Thawed Milk
If milk has been frozen and thawed, it can be refrigerated up to 24 hours for later use. It should not be refrozen.

Unfinished Bottles
Most lactation experts agree that milk that is not finished at one feeding may be offered at one more feeding before needing to be discarded. Human milk has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that result in slower spoilage as compared to other foods.

---

It's wise to try to stay as close to the guidelines as possible, but milk that is older than the stated safe age should not be automatically discarded. Milk that is truly bad has a very distinct sour taste and odor. Even if expressed milk is "out of date" it should still be considered safe to give a baby as long as it still has a fresh odor and/or taste.

Breastmilk digests in 96 minutes, so a breastfed baby will take more frequent feedings, and less milk per feeding, than a formula-fed baby. Because a baby nurses for reasons other than food, draining a bottle quickly may be interpreted as a sign of hunger when it is actually a sign of needing comfort and sucking or other contact. Carrying time is usually helpful for a breastfed baby in a daycare setting, so that the need for human contact can be met in ways other than feeding.

The appearance of stored milk can take on many forms. After a while the fats in the milk begin to separate from the body of it. The cream may rise to the top or settle on the sides of the storage container. Right before serving it to baby, be sure to gently swirl the milk so that the fats can be redeposited back into the rest of the milk. (See http://www.bflrc.com/ljs/breastfeeding/shakenot.htm for a good explanation in layman's terms of why to not shake breastmilk.)

Human milk has an amazing capacity to resist bacterial growth, and can be kept at room temperature for up to ten hours.

Milk to be used within eight days of expression should be refrigerated rather than frozen. Not only will the milk not need to be thawed, but the immunity factors in human milk are better preserved by refrigeration. For longer storage, milk can be frozen.

As of an October 1995 press release, human milk is not (nor has it ever been) included in federal health agencies' listings of body fluids governed by universal precautions for blood borne pathogens which would mandate handling and feeding with rubber gloves or storage in a separate refrigerator as a biohazardous material. This continues to be the current policy of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Ahh, sleep

I don't know whether DS slept all night or he just let me sleep all night, but I feel wonderful! First he fell asleep in his crib after choir rehearsal (not ready for "night-time"). I let him sleep. He awoke around 10 so I nursed him, changed him, put his pajamas on, and he slept in his cradle. Sometime after midnight (close to 1am I think), when I went to bed, he awoke again so I brought him to bed with us to nurse and sleep, as usual. The next time I woke up was when my alarm went off at 7... I was still on the same side of him and my other side was quite full. Six hours isn't a lot of sleep, but it sure is refreshing compared to 2-3 hours at a time!

ProMoM, Inc. - 101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child Reason 95. Self confidence booster for mom -- There is nothing more amazing than looking at a plump six month old baby and knowing that the only nutrition this happy little creature has received has come from your own body.

DS is back in daycare today, and I am back at work. I gave him a warm bath yesterday, but he doesn't have any new spots and didn't get a fever. If it was/is chicken pox, it's an extremely mild case, but it's probably something else, we just don't know what.

Chicken pox?

We're staying home today. DS has 6 red spots on his face and head. The DCPs (Day Care Providers) asked me to have a Dr. look at them yesterday, so we did. He did't really think they are chicken pox, but he couldn't say they aren't, or what else they are. So we didn't go back to day-care after lunch, and DS and I are staying home today to limit exposure (if that's what they are). Hopefully they will either go away today or he will break out more so we'll know for sure.

I use my instincts

I admit, I do a lot of reading on the internet (and magazines, and a few books). But there is a lot of conflicting information about almost every subject. So I take what is good and leave the rest. How do I know which is which is which? I go with my gut, and my heart, and my mind. I guess I use my instincts, although I had not previously thought of myself as having strong motherly instincts, I think I do. Some stuff just makes sense and other stuff just seems too unnatural. So that's what most of my links about breastfeeding and parenting support... what seems "right" to me.


ProMoM, Inc. - 101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child
10 Commandments of Working and Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding Resources - Working

ZZZZzzzzz

DS is asleep in his crib. He fell asleep several times this evening in the car, but since we got a convertible seat when we replaced the potentially damaged one, we now have to take him out of it instead of taking it out of the car. He wakes up when we do that, so he didn't ever get a good nap after day care today. We visited Dad at the bowling alley tonight, and on the way home DS fell asleep (not surprisingly). When we got home I put him in his crib with the mobile going because I needed to use the bathroom. He was quiet when I got done, so I wound the mobile again and got his night-time diaper ready. When it stopped and I got ready to pick him up to change the diaper and put on pajamas, he was asleep so I left him there. He hasn't eaten since about 7, so I expect that he will wake up very hungry when he wakes up. Hopefully it won't be till at least 11 because I just pumped since he was asleep. I'm trying to get the freezer stock back up; it was down to zero yesterday (and the frig stock was zero also) until I got home from my rehearsal.

How the Breast Makes Milk
Examining the Evidence...

It's that time again

I had an inkling that it would be starting soon, but I'm so out of practice of noticing the physical feelings, that we need to wash the sheets today. This past week my pump sessions have produced less milk but that picked up yesterday, and I noticed the slightest ting of pink on the toilet paper yesterday, too. I guess I should go back and check the other dates to see what my new cycle length is. It seems shorter than my old 30-36 days.

Make your own nursing tee! I might actually try this. I have tons of t-shirts.

Homemade Toys: Why Nothing Can Beat a Paper Pinwheel Yesterday at daycare, DS was playing with a big squishy ziplock bag of water with confetti in it. Since he doesn't have teeth yet and it was a thick (double bagged) ziplock back with duct tape over the seal, I think it was safe. It sure looked like he was enjoying it!

Mothering Magazine -- Compassionate Connection: Nonviolent Communication with Children This article describes a way of communicating that seems awkward to me at first, but it does seem like a positive way to deal with relationships and communication. The article says the NVC is very similar to Attachment Parenting but that it works with older children and adults.

Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) -- Supports a Woman's Decision to Breastfeed