Enchanted Learning
Just a quick post today to recommend a website for the kidlets: Enchanted Learning!
Its a great place with lots of great learning activities from crafts to colouring pages, from activities on music to activities regarding the languages and the alphabet.
You can either pay for a subscription ($24 CND) or you can use the free banner-ed pages.
Today Em and I printed out the Paper Bag Puppets craft. Fun, fun!
Thanks for reading!
Showing posts with label Kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kids. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Friday, February 02, 2007
Everyone Is Sick - AgAiN!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Emma has been sick since late Saturday night. She awoke vomiting! Poor kid. She got better...or so I thought...and by Sunday evening I thought she was on the mend. Nope! Tuesday brought more vomiting, a rather high fever and horrible diarrhea.
[In the midst of this I was hit by 'a brick wall' (with an episode of passing out! GACK!) on Monday. I had to call Troy at work and ask him to come home. But by Monday evening, I was fine.]
And today is more of the same. Poor kid! (Not to mention, poor carpets! ;-D) And Troy came home early from work because he is ill as well.
All are asleep now, the first really quiet time in five days, so I've sat down with a cup of tea, a Nature Valley granola bar and my pen for a bit of quiet time myself.
On the upside, I must say Troy and Em being sick and caring for a 3 1/2 month old is a great workout, not to mention a crash diet! I'm getting a constant workout, walking the floors with an extra 15 or 22 pounds, depending on what kidlet is in my arms, and I've been surviving on granola bars and tea, with the occasional almond or piece of cheese. ;-)
Seriously thought, where Emma is concerned, I'm worried about dehydration and the thought of this being something more than just a nasty stomach bug. She's two, so the communication just isn't there. I ask her where it hurts, she says 'evweeware'; I say 'I know, but where does it hurt the most?' to which her response has been 'Whaaaaaa!' So I'm waiting until Saturday morn, that'll make it a week, and if she's still not on the mend, to the clinic we go.
Wish us luck and the carpets too!
***
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Emma awoke with a DRY diaper. So we went to the clinic this morning instead of waiting. But the fabulous Dr. Heeg assured me she is not dehydrated and unfortunately, 'these bugs are going to have to run their course'.
***
Today, Friday, February 2, 2007
Emma has a terrible cough and a VERY runny nose (but she's better as far as the nasty vomiting bug goes. Whew!) and now Gavin has a very red right eye. My goodness!
Enough is enough!!! We are usually such healthy people and for the last two months we have been incredible sick. Its no fun, in fact, we SUCK! ;-)
Emma attends a day-home once per week, but I'm not sending her back until we're all better and her immune system has had a chance to 'reboot'.
And poor Gav-Gav! Since he's been born three and a half months ago, he's been sick three times and now he has a red eye and I'm hoping against hope its not Pink Eye. But the way things are going it probably is.
Mon Dieu!
Thanks for reading and send us good, healing vibes please! ;-)
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Emma has been sick since late Saturday night. She awoke vomiting! Poor kid. She got better...or so I thought...and by Sunday evening I thought she was on the mend. Nope! Tuesday brought more vomiting, a rather high fever and horrible diarrhea.
[In the midst of this I was hit by 'a brick wall' (with an episode of passing out! GACK!) on Monday. I had to call Troy at work and ask him to come home. But by Monday evening, I was fine.]
And today is more of the same. Poor kid! (Not to mention, poor carpets! ;-D) And Troy came home early from work because he is ill as well.
All are asleep now, the first really quiet time in five days, so I've sat down with a cup of tea, a Nature Valley granola bar and my pen for a bit of quiet time myself.
On the upside, I must say Troy and Em being sick and caring for a 3 1/2 month old is a great workout, not to mention a crash diet! I'm getting a constant workout, walking the floors with an extra 15 or 22 pounds, depending on what kidlet is in my arms, and I've been surviving on granola bars and tea, with the occasional almond or piece of cheese. ;-)
Seriously thought, where Emma is concerned, I'm worried about dehydration and the thought of this being something more than just a nasty stomach bug. She's two, so the communication just isn't there. I ask her where it hurts, she says 'evweeware'; I say 'I know, but where does it hurt the most?' to which her response has been 'Whaaaaaa!' So I'm waiting until Saturday morn, that'll make it a week, and if she's still not on the mend, to the clinic we go.
Wish us luck and the carpets too!
***
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Emma awoke with a DRY diaper. So we went to the clinic this morning instead of waiting. But the fabulous Dr. Heeg assured me she is not dehydrated and unfortunately, 'these bugs are going to have to run their course'.
***
Today, Friday, February 2, 2007
Emma has a terrible cough and a VERY runny nose (but she's better as far as the nasty vomiting bug goes. Whew!) and now Gavin has a very red right eye. My goodness!
Enough is enough!!! We are usually such healthy people and for the last two months we have been incredible sick. Its no fun, in fact, we SUCK! ;-)
Emma attends a day-home once per week, but I'm not sending her back until we're all better and her immune system has had a chance to 'reboot'.
And poor Gav-Gav! Since he's been born three and a half months ago, he's been sick three times and now he has a red eye and I'm hoping against hope its not Pink Eye. But the way things are going it probably is.
Mon Dieu!
Thanks for reading and send us good, healing vibes please! ;-)
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Time Management - Household Duties
This is a problem of mine. My mother always had a well kept house - how did she do it?! While searching the Internet for time management tips (while I should have admittedly been doing my household duties) I found this great article at LadyPens.com, a site I regularly submit articles to.
It rings true, and of course its all common sense. I guess I was really searching for a magical fairly cleaning lady! ;-)
***
Housework with Toddlers - Here Comes Trouble! by Carrie Lauth
It's so interesting that once our babies start toddling around, creating a lot more mess in their insatiably curious and neverending activity, we expect ourselves to have a perfectly tidy home. When your baby was younger you probably imagined that once she started sleeping through the night and playing independently you would get a handle on the chores. Surprise!
Mothering a toddler is fun but constant vigilance. Not only are you concerned with her physical safety but you are rightly concerned with her emotional health as well. You want to have fun and play with your little one but as an adult, you have a need for some order. What to do? Here are some tips that have worked for many other Moms.
Rethink Housework & Define Your Minimums
Try to lower your standards a bit. If your house could pass the white glove test before you had kids and you try to keep up that standard now, you could drive yourself nuts.
If you have a lot of trouble doing this, then think for a moment about why. Are you trying to live up to someone else's idea of what your house should look like? Are you worried about what your mother, mother in law or neighbors might think? In any case, if you're feeling judged, take a look at that and decide what's more important to you. Do you want a perfect home or do you want to have a happy toddler whose Mommy has time to play?
Decide what is important to you and figure out how to do those tasks as quickly and easily as possible. For instance, you may hate to feel dirt under your feet when you walk across the floors but a little dust doesn't bother you. Keeping that chore done consistently will make the house feel clean to you.
Make Some Lists
Grab a sheet of paper and decide which chores can be skipped, which chores can be simplified, and which chores you can get help with. Is it really essential to fold underwear or can they be placed neatly in a drawer? Can socks be tossed into a drawer and the wearer match them himself? It is really necessary to separate all the kid's laundry or can most things be washed together?
Clear out clutter as much as possible. Clutter makes housework more difficult, time consuming and downright dangerous (like when you are tripping over things in the basement or having items fall on your head in closets). Go through your house with a large trash bag on a regular basis and throw things out if they don't make you smile when you look at them. Donate it to charity and feel good about yourself!
I Helped!
Your toddler can do a surprising number of household chores and will probably be delighted to imitate you. When you dust, hand her a microfiber dusting cloth and let her "help". Toddlers love to splash their hands in water. Maybe she could "wash dishes" in the sink next to you. She may not be so great at folding laundry, but can she dig out all the socks and put them in a pile for you? Perhaps she can help unload the dishwasher by handing you the spoons and forks. At this stage, the point is not to have her doing chores but rather to keep her happy and close while you get some work done.
Can you hire out some of the household chores? Don't dismiss this right away. If your budget is slim, you might know a teenager who is in need of some extra cash who could come over and help you out. Or maybe you would be willing to forego a dinner out here and there to pay for an occasional housekeeper.
Make Cleaning Convenient
Keep non toxic cleaning products and tools handy so that when you have a moment or two, you can go a quick task.
When your toddler is in the bathtub you have to be in the bathroom to supervise her anyway. Why not clean the floor, sink and toilet while you're in there? Baking soda sprinkled in the sink and toilet will scrub effectively and sweeten the air too. For an inexpensive multi purpose cleaner that you can use around little ones: fill a 32 ounce spray bottle with water, and add a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid.
Keep It Fun
Make picking up a game by asking your child to "find all the red things and put them into the toy bin". Or have them pick up 5 things then come find you for a great big bear hug or tickle. You can also plan something fun after cleaning to create a natural incentive to get things done. "As soon as we pick up all the toys, it will be time to go to the playground!" Kids respond well to quick cleaning sessions. The "10 second tidy" where everyone picks up and puts away as quickly as possible work well. And the effect is lost on me, but a lot of kids love to sing the Barney clean up song when they're tidying.
Life with little ones around is a bit like using spaghetti for bookends: fun but certainly messy. Enjoy it while it lasts!
Somehow, Carrie Lauth of http://www.NaturalMomsTalkRadio.com found the time to write this article in the midst of picking up after 4 little ones.
Article Source: http://www.ladypens.com/
***
Thanks for reading!
This is a problem of mine. My mother always had a well kept house - how did she do it?! While searching the Internet for time management tips (while I should have admittedly been doing my household duties) I found this great article at LadyPens.com, a site I regularly submit articles to.
It rings true, and of course its all common sense. I guess I was really searching for a magical fairly cleaning lady! ;-)
***
Housework with Toddlers - Here Comes Trouble! by Carrie Lauth
It's so interesting that once our babies start toddling around, creating a lot more mess in their insatiably curious and neverending activity, we expect ourselves to have a perfectly tidy home. When your baby was younger you probably imagined that once she started sleeping through the night and playing independently you would get a handle on the chores. Surprise!
Mothering a toddler is fun but constant vigilance. Not only are you concerned with her physical safety but you are rightly concerned with her emotional health as well. You want to have fun and play with your little one but as an adult, you have a need for some order. What to do? Here are some tips that have worked for many other Moms.
Rethink Housework & Define Your Minimums
Try to lower your standards a bit. If your house could pass the white glove test before you had kids and you try to keep up that standard now, you could drive yourself nuts.
If you have a lot of trouble doing this, then think for a moment about why. Are you trying to live up to someone else's idea of what your house should look like? Are you worried about what your mother, mother in law or neighbors might think? In any case, if you're feeling judged, take a look at that and decide what's more important to you. Do you want a perfect home or do you want to have a happy toddler whose Mommy has time to play?
Decide what is important to you and figure out how to do those tasks as quickly and easily as possible. For instance, you may hate to feel dirt under your feet when you walk across the floors but a little dust doesn't bother you. Keeping that chore done consistently will make the house feel clean to you.
Make Some Lists
Grab a sheet of paper and decide which chores can be skipped, which chores can be simplified, and which chores you can get help with. Is it really essential to fold underwear or can they be placed neatly in a drawer? Can socks be tossed into a drawer and the wearer match them himself? It is really necessary to separate all the kid's laundry or can most things be washed together?
Clear out clutter as much as possible. Clutter makes housework more difficult, time consuming and downright dangerous (like when you are tripping over things in the basement or having items fall on your head in closets). Go through your house with a large trash bag on a regular basis and throw things out if they don't make you smile when you look at them. Donate it to charity and feel good about yourself!
I Helped!
Your toddler can do a surprising number of household chores and will probably be delighted to imitate you. When you dust, hand her a microfiber dusting cloth and let her "help". Toddlers love to splash their hands in water. Maybe she could "wash dishes" in the sink next to you. She may not be so great at folding laundry, but can she dig out all the socks and put them in a pile for you? Perhaps she can help unload the dishwasher by handing you the spoons and forks. At this stage, the point is not to have her doing chores but rather to keep her happy and close while you get some work done.
Can you hire out some of the household chores? Don't dismiss this right away. If your budget is slim, you might know a teenager who is in need of some extra cash who could come over and help you out. Or maybe you would be willing to forego a dinner out here and there to pay for an occasional housekeeper.
Make Cleaning Convenient
Keep non toxic cleaning products and tools handy so that when you have a moment or two, you can go a quick task.
When your toddler is in the bathtub you have to be in the bathroom to supervise her anyway. Why not clean the floor, sink and toilet while you're in there? Baking soda sprinkled in the sink and toilet will scrub effectively and sweeten the air too. For an inexpensive multi purpose cleaner that you can use around little ones: fill a 32 ounce spray bottle with water, and add a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid.
Keep It Fun
Make picking up a game by asking your child to "find all the red things and put them into the toy bin". Or have them pick up 5 things then come find you for a great big bear hug or tickle. You can also plan something fun after cleaning to create a natural incentive to get things done. "As soon as we pick up all the toys, it will be time to go to the playground!" Kids respond well to quick cleaning sessions. The "10 second tidy" where everyone picks up and puts away as quickly as possible work well. And the effect is lost on me, but a lot of kids love to sing the Barney clean up song when they're tidying.
Life with little ones around is a bit like using spaghetti for bookends: fun but certainly messy. Enjoy it while it lasts!
Somehow, Carrie Lauth of http://www.NaturalMomsTalkRadio.com found the time to write this article in the midst of picking up after 4 little ones.
Article Source: http://www.ladypens.com/
***
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Back To Work
Troy went 'back' to work yesterday and we all miss him.
The reason 'back' is in quotations is because he worked all through the holiday, except he was at home.
We were discussing a few nights ago how lucky we are, how fortunate.
Troy and Emma were sitting at the kitchen table playing with her Play-Doh set she received as a Christmas gift and Troy just all of a sudden hugged her and said 'I'm going to miss you when I go back to work tomorrow' and Emma replied 'Miss you DaDa'.
The fact is, Troy comes home every night after work and he seldom has to travel for work.
There are plenty of people who, if they had said that to their child, would be away from them for some time and miss them, MISS them.
We're so lucky, SO fortunate and we are thankful.
Thanks for reading!
Troy went 'back' to work yesterday and we all miss him.
The reason 'back' is in quotations is because he worked all through the holiday, except he was at home.
We were discussing a few nights ago how lucky we are, how fortunate.
Troy and Emma were sitting at the kitchen table playing with her Play-Doh set she received as a Christmas gift and Troy just all of a sudden hugged her and said 'I'm going to miss you when I go back to work tomorrow' and Emma replied 'Miss you DaDa'.
The fact is, Troy comes home every night after work and he seldom has to travel for work.
There are plenty of people who, if they had said that to their child, would be away from them for some time and miss them, MISS them.
We're so lucky, SO fortunate and we are thankful.
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Holiday Craze
The curse of the stay at home mom, or any mom for that matter, is the guilt you feel when things don’t pan-out quite as they were supposed to.
Troy’s busy-busy at work! As in go-go-go all the time. If he’s not working he should be and if he is working, he should be working more! Its crazy! Great for profits; not so fab for the burnt-out brain.
But I digress.
We’ve been planning to Christmas shop for the last four or five weekends, but something always came up to mar our plans; Troy working insanely, Emma being sick, etc. Finally, this past weekend we got to go!
Well!
I turned down an invite to a stagette party in order to go Christmas shopping with Troy, Emma and Gavin in tow…it was not to be…
We were welcomed into the Southcentre Shopping Mall parking lot with a traffic jam! But we figured ‘we’re here now’. So instead of high tailing it out of there, we embarked on a fruitless journey.
Inside the mall it wasn’t too bad…or so I thought until I went to stand in line at Indigo Bookstore…there were 40 to 50 people standing in line awaiting their turn to hand over hard earned money for overpriced books!
That’s when I decided to admit defeat; it doesn’t take me long to not stress myself out. I’m in no way a martyr. If something isn’t important, as most little details aren’t, I forget about them.
I like things to be nice, organized, and pretty just as much as the next person – but I’m not going to cause myself undue stress to achieve them.
So, instead of having lots ‘o gifts under the tree, Emma and Gavin will only have a few and a stocking each.
At first I was appalled at the situation and then I began rethinking why I was appalled. There is no reason for it.
I had planned to complete the Christmas shopping in October while waiting for Gavin to arrive. Gavin arrived two weeks early. Then I had four weeks recovery time for the c-section required to introduce Gav-Gav to the world. That brings us to November 15th. Then Gavin and I both had doctor appointments. Then we had a cold spell and we didn’t venture from the house at all. Then Emma got sick with the croup. More doctor appointments for all of us, and then a traffic jam. So voila!
As a new mom, struggling with sleep deprivation, I think I’ve done rather well with what we have.
We’re going to have a beautifully cooked Christmas dinner. The kids will have gifts upon gifts anyway, thanks to far-flung family and friends, and we’ll have memories. What more can you ask for?
The Christmas Season isn’t about who gets what or how much. In a world where we usually only think about others at Christmas time, I’d rather Emma and Gavin not have gifts but see me every grocery day purchase non-perishable items for the food bank.
Yes, kids should have gifts, but not to the extent that most families do it. Families go further and further into debt to give the hottest this or that to their loved ones. Shouldn’t children learn its better to give than to receive?
Instead of the newest of new, why not buy mittens for the homeless or bring cookies to the kids in hospital – and bring your children along. Make it a family tradition to help those in need!
Lots of folks, children included, would do anything to have a warm coat, let alone the newest design for the 2007 season.
There are plenty of ways you and yours can give back this Holiday Season as well as throughout the year:
Volunteer - www.volunteer.ca
Food Donation - www.cafb-acba.ca
Clothing and No Longer Used Items Donation - www.diabetes.ca/Section_services/collection.asp
Money Donation - www.canadian-charities.com/charityentry.html
Knit A Block - www.blankets4canada.ca
Its easy to forget what Christmas is really about – generosity of spirit.
Don’t get lost in the Holiday Craze Maze! Make this Holiday Season a bit brighter for someone else and teach your children to do the same.
Thanks for reading!
PS: Check back in January for a post on the subject of Tithing. Find out how helping others can help you…
The curse of the stay at home mom, or any mom for that matter, is the guilt you feel when things don’t pan-out quite as they were supposed to.
Troy’s busy-busy at work! As in go-go-go all the time. If he’s not working he should be and if he is working, he should be working more! Its crazy! Great for profits; not so fab for the burnt-out brain.
But I digress.
We’ve been planning to Christmas shop for the last four or five weekends, but something always came up to mar our plans; Troy working insanely, Emma being sick, etc. Finally, this past weekend we got to go!
Well!
I turned down an invite to a stagette party in order to go Christmas shopping with Troy, Emma and Gavin in tow…it was not to be…
We were welcomed into the Southcentre Shopping Mall parking lot with a traffic jam! But we figured ‘we’re here now’. So instead of high tailing it out of there, we embarked on a fruitless journey.
Inside the mall it wasn’t too bad…or so I thought until I went to stand in line at Indigo Bookstore…there were 40 to 50 people standing in line awaiting their turn to hand over hard earned money for overpriced books!
That’s when I decided to admit defeat; it doesn’t take me long to not stress myself out. I’m in no way a martyr. If something isn’t important, as most little details aren’t, I forget about them.
I like things to be nice, organized, and pretty just as much as the next person – but I’m not going to cause myself undue stress to achieve them.
So, instead of having lots ‘o gifts under the tree, Emma and Gavin will only have a few and a stocking each.
At first I was appalled at the situation and then I began rethinking why I was appalled. There is no reason for it.
I had planned to complete the Christmas shopping in October while waiting for Gavin to arrive. Gavin arrived two weeks early. Then I had four weeks recovery time for the c-section required to introduce Gav-Gav to the world. That brings us to November 15th. Then Gavin and I both had doctor appointments. Then we had a cold spell and we didn’t venture from the house at all. Then Emma got sick with the croup. More doctor appointments for all of us, and then a traffic jam. So voila!
As a new mom, struggling with sleep deprivation, I think I’ve done rather well with what we have.
We’re going to have a beautifully cooked Christmas dinner. The kids will have gifts upon gifts anyway, thanks to far-flung family and friends, and we’ll have memories. What more can you ask for?
The Christmas Season isn’t about who gets what or how much. In a world where we usually only think about others at Christmas time, I’d rather Emma and Gavin not have gifts but see me every grocery day purchase non-perishable items for the food bank.
Yes, kids should have gifts, but not to the extent that most families do it. Families go further and further into debt to give the hottest this or that to their loved ones. Shouldn’t children learn its better to give than to receive?
Instead of the newest of new, why not buy mittens for the homeless or bring cookies to the kids in hospital – and bring your children along. Make it a family tradition to help those in need!
Lots of folks, children included, would do anything to have a warm coat, let alone the newest design for the 2007 season.
There are plenty of ways you and yours can give back this Holiday Season as well as throughout the year:
Volunteer - www.volunteer.ca
Food Donation - www.cafb-acba.ca
Clothing and No Longer Used Items Donation - www.diabetes.ca/Section_services/collection.asp
Money Donation - www.canadian-charities.com/charityentry.html
Knit A Block - www.blankets4canada.ca
Its easy to forget what Christmas is really about – generosity of spirit.
Don’t get lost in the Holiday Craze Maze! Make this Holiday Season a bit brighter for someone else and teach your children to do the same.
Thanks for reading!
PS: Check back in January for a post on the subject of Tithing. Find out how helping others can help you…
Monday, December 18, 2006
Fever
Every book or reference has a different indication as to what a fever is…this is rather annoying! So, I’m posting it here for all to know…
To be precautious, I’m taking the lower as gospel. Therefore, as stated in Growing Miracles, a fever is above 37.3°C (99.1°F). This means that Gavin had a fever last night when I checked it before going to bed. A low-grade fever at 37.5°C, but a fever none the less.
Growing Miracles also states that you should see the doctor right away if your child is under three months of age and has a fever.
I hope this helps clear things up...Thanks for reading!
Every book or reference has a different indication as to what a fever is…this is rather annoying! So, I’m posting it here for all to know…
To be precautious, I’m taking the lower as gospel. Therefore, as stated in Growing Miracles, a fever is above 37.3°C (99.1°F). This means that Gavin had a fever last night when I checked it before going to bed. A low-grade fever at 37.5°C, but a fever none the less.
Growing Miracles also states that you should see the doctor right away if your child is under three months of age and has a fever.
I hope this helps clear things up...Thanks for reading!
A Sick House
I’m sick. Blah! And so, unfortunately, is Gavin. Poor snotty, watery-eyed Gavin!
I (so far) have only a sore throat and have decided I am refusing to become any sicker. After all, I have a wedding to attend on Friday…oh…and two kids to look after… ;-)
Emma was sick with The Croup last week and now Gavin is sick (but not me!). I was under the impression that breastfeeding created an invisible shield around the new baboon to protect him from all things icky and sicky…?
Right here in my handy dandy book Growing Miracles published by the Calgary Health Region on page 40 it states that breast milk is “Protective. It helps protect your baby from illness and infections…”.
Hello?! Hello? Is my breast milk defective in some way?
So, what can you really do for a sick infant?
Steam Bath – to loosen the stuffy, phlegmy stuff up. (To the steam bath specifically selected essential oils could be added. See the post at http://aromatherapyinformation.blogspot.com/ for more information.)
Saline Drops – to loosen and dry the stuffy, phlegmy stuff up.
Medication Through Mama – since everything passes through me into him via my breast milk, I’ve got Garlic Chicken Soup on the stove bubbling away! I’ll garlic the icky-sicky out of him! ;-)
Cuddles, cuddles and more cuddles!
There is nothing to bring you down and humble you like not being able to ‘make it better’. When Em was sick last week she would cough and shake uncontrollably!
This was the first time she has ever really been sick. She has had a sniffle or two, but nothing like this. It was also the first time I wasn’t able to ‘fix it’.
She would cough and look at me as if to say ‘Hello?! Do you not see me coughing here? Make it better, woman!’ But alas, I could not. She simply had to cough her way through it.
Em’s better now though! It took about five days and a Cold Mist Humidifier (my new secret weapon) to clear up, but she’s better. Whew!
Now I have to worry about Gav-Gav! We have a scheduled doctor’s appointment on Thursday, so as long as he’s alert and waking to feed, I’m going to hold off on running to the fabulous Dr. Heeg.
I’ll keep you posted…Thanks for reading!
I’m sick. Blah! And so, unfortunately, is Gavin. Poor snotty, watery-eyed Gavin!
I (so far) have only a sore throat and have decided I am refusing to become any sicker. After all, I have a wedding to attend on Friday…oh…and two kids to look after… ;-)
Emma was sick with The Croup last week and now Gavin is sick (but not me!). I was under the impression that breastfeeding created an invisible shield around the new baboon to protect him from all things icky and sicky…?
Right here in my handy dandy book Growing Miracles published by the Calgary Health Region on page 40 it states that breast milk is “Protective. It helps protect your baby from illness and infections…”.
Hello?! Hello? Is my breast milk defective in some way?
So, what can you really do for a sick infant?
Steam Bath – to loosen the stuffy, phlegmy stuff up. (To the steam bath specifically selected essential oils could be added. See the post at http://aromatherapyinformation.blogspot.com/ for more information.)
Saline Drops – to loosen and dry the stuffy, phlegmy stuff up.
Medication Through Mama – since everything passes through me into him via my breast milk, I’ve got Garlic Chicken Soup on the stove bubbling away! I’ll garlic the icky-sicky out of him! ;-)
Cuddles, cuddles and more cuddles!
There is nothing to bring you down and humble you like not being able to ‘make it better’. When Em was sick last week she would cough and shake uncontrollably!
This was the first time she has ever really been sick. She has had a sniffle or two, but nothing like this. It was also the first time I wasn’t able to ‘fix it’.
She would cough and look at me as if to say ‘Hello?! Do you not see me coughing here? Make it better, woman!’ But alas, I could not. She simply had to cough her way through it.
Em’s better now though! It took about five days and a Cold Mist Humidifier (my new secret weapon) to clear up, but she’s better. Whew!
Now I have to worry about Gav-Gav! We have a scheduled doctor’s appointment on Thursday, so as long as he’s alert and waking to feed, I’m going to hold off on running to the fabulous Dr. Heeg.
I’ll keep you posted…Thanks for reading!
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Spitting Up Is Hard To Do...
...Or not so hard in Gavin's case!
Emma hardly ever spit up, but this little guy spits up all the time. So of course, being the 'I-Wonder-How-Come' person I am, I decided to get on the Internet and find out why he does.
I found the great article that follows...
***
My Breastfed Baby Spits Up Frequently
By: Natural Mom Business Guide
Q: My breastfed baby spits up frequently. Is there something I'm eating that could be causing this? Could it be reflux? Or is this normal?
A: If your baby is spitting up, even if it's a frequent occurrence, it's rarely a sign of a serious problem. In fact, "In a healthy baby," according to the late Dr. Gregory White, previously a medical advisor to La Leche League, "spitting up is a laundry problem, not a medical problem." If your baby is gaining weight properly and otherwise developing normally, you probably have nothing to worry about, and likely the problem will lesson and eventually go away by the time baby is a year old.
Still, it can be disconcerting if your nursing baby spits up a lot. You may be wondering if he or she is getting enough milk or if there is some problem with your breastmilk. Rest assured. There are several things you can do to help prevent frequent spitting up.
1) Let Gravity Help When Feeding
Basically, any position that causes the milk to go against gravity will help baby handle the flow of milk more easily, and cause him to swallow less air. Try nursing baby in the "football" hold with him looking at your breast and partially sitting up, facing you. Nursing lying down will allow baby to let extra milk flow out the side of his mouth. After a feeding, try holding him upright in a baby sling. Many Moms have found that their frequent spitters are helped when they're frequently held close to Mom's body in a soft carrier.
2) Finish The First Breast First
At the beginning of a feeding, your baby is getting the lower fat "foremilk" and later on, the higher fat "hindmilk". If you remove baby from the first breast before he pulls away and give him the other side, he may fill up with foremilk, causing some gassiness, fussiness, and more spitting up. Let him decide when he's done with the first breast, either by pulling away or falling asleep. If you have a very strong "letdown", or milk ejection reflex, then this is especially important. You may have an overabundant milk supply. Try keeping baby on one side for an entire feeding.
3) Pay Attention To Your Latch
Be sure baby is latched on properly. His mouth should be open wide and he should have a lot of areola (not just the nipple but surrounding tissue) in his mouth. If he is latched on well you will have no pain, and baby will swallow less air. It's also a good idea to burp a frequent spitter before offering him the second breast. Oftentimes a thorough burping will prevent spit up later.
4) Relax!
Frequent spitting up is often caused by an underdeveloped esophageal sphincter (fancy term for the muscles that keep food down). The problem will likely resolve as baby gets older. Spitting up is rarely caused by something a nursing Mom ate. There is no one food that causes trouble in most or all breastfed infants. Nursing Moms worldwide eat a variety of foods (including spicy foods, garlic, dairy products and "gassy" foods like onions, cabbage and beans) and nurse healthy babies. Food allergies are rare in breastfed infants. If you have a strong family history of allergies, then your baby may be allergic to something that appears in your milk. Ask your health care provider for recommendations about changing your diet. Fussiness can be caused by many different factors, including temperament. If you suspect that your baby's frequent spitting up is caused by Reflux, he may have some of the following symptoms: trouble gaining weight, difficulty breathing, gagging and extreme irritability. Ask your baby's Doctor about your baby's symptoms if you're unsure.
Carrie Lauth is the author of The Natural Mom Business Guide, a complete step by step course to building a natural business on the Internet. It contains tried and true advice to help you start, build, and market an online business. To find out more Click Here!
***
Gavin is as healthy as healthy gets! He has absolutely no problem gaining weight - at 7 weeks old he is already the size Emma was at 3 months - so I'd say there is no problem, except for, as the article states, with the laundry! ;-)
Thanks for reading...
PS: I'm still researching tithing
and manifestation - there is just so much information to 'digest'...
...Or not so hard in Gavin's case!
Emma hardly ever spit up, but this little guy spits up all the time. So of course, being the 'I-Wonder-How-Come' person I am, I decided to get on the Internet and find out why he does.
I found the great article that follows...
***
My Breastfed Baby Spits Up Frequently
By: Natural Mom Business Guide
Q: My breastfed baby spits up frequently. Is there something I'm eating that could be causing this? Could it be reflux? Or is this normal?
A: If your baby is spitting up, even if it's a frequent occurrence, it's rarely a sign of a serious problem. In fact, "In a healthy baby," according to the late Dr. Gregory White, previously a medical advisor to La Leche League, "spitting up is a laundry problem, not a medical problem." If your baby is gaining weight properly and otherwise developing normally, you probably have nothing to worry about, and likely the problem will lesson and eventually go away by the time baby is a year old.
Still, it can be disconcerting if your nursing baby spits up a lot. You may be wondering if he or she is getting enough milk or if there is some problem with your breastmilk. Rest assured. There are several things you can do to help prevent frequent spitting up.
1) Let Gravity Help When Feeding
Basically, any position that causes the milk to go against gravity will help baby handle the flow of milk more easily, and cause him to swallow less air. Try nursing baby in the "football" hold with him looking at your breast and partially sitting up, facing you. Nursing lying down will allow baby to let extra milk flow out the side of his mouth. After a feeding, try holding him upright in a baby sling. Many Moms have found that their frequent spitters are helped when they're frequently held close to Mom's body in a soft carrier.
2) Finish The First Breast First
At the beginning of a feeding, your baby is getting the lower fat "foremilk" and later on, the higher fat "hindmilk". If you remove baby from the first breast before he pulls away and give him the other side, he may fill up with foremilk, causing some gassiness, fussiness, and more spitting up. Let him decide when he's done with the first breast, either by pulling away or falling asleep. If you have a very strong "letdown", or milk ejection reflex, then this is especially important. You may have an overabundant milk supply. Try keeping baby on one side for an entire feeding.
3) Pay Attention To Your Latch
Be sure baby is latched on properly. His mouth should be open wide and he should have a lot of areola (not just the nipple but surrounding tissue) in his mouth. If he is latched on well you will have no pain, and baby will swallow less air. It's also a good idea to burp a frequent spitter before offering him the second breast. Oftentimes a thorough burping will prevent spit up later.
4) Relax!
Frequent spitting up is often caused by an underdeveloped esophageal sphincter (fancy term for the muscles that keep food down). The problem will likely resolve as baby gets older. Spitting up is rarely caused by something a nursing Mom ate. There is no one food that causes trouble in most or all breastfed infants. Nursing Moms worldwide eat a variety of foods (including spicy foods, garlic, dairy products and "gassy" foods like onions, cabbage and beans) and nurse healthy babies. Food allergies are rare in breastfed infants. If you have a strong family history of allergies, then your baby may be allergic to something that appears in your milk. Ask your health care provider for recommendations about changing your diet. Fussiness can be caused by many different factors, including temperament. If you suspect that your baby's frequent spitting up is caused by Reflux, he may have some of the following symptoms: trouble gaining weight, difficulty breathing, gagging and extreme irritability. Ask your baby's Doctor about your baby's symptoms if you're unsure.
Carrie Lauth is the author of The Natural Mom Business Guide, a complete step by step course to building a natural business on the Internet. It contains tried and true advice to help you start, build, and market an online business. To find out more Click Here!
***
Gavin is as healthy as healthy gets! He has absolutely no problem gaining weight - at 7 weeks old he is already the size Emma was at 3 months - so I'd say there is no problem, except for, as the article states, with the laundry! ;-)
Thanks for reading...
PS: I'm still researching tithing
and manifestation - there is just so much information to 'digest'...
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Sparkles and Glue
It's easy to have fun with your toddler, you just have to use your imagination!
Examples:
- I have a big roll of kraft packaging paper. I get Em to lay down on it, then I trace around her and we colour it in and add stickers to it. We usually colour it in the way she is dressed that day, but sometimes we don't, it depends on what she wants to do.
- Yesterday, Grammy gave her a cotton ball with a piece of tape on it. Em stuck it on her bum and hopped around pretending to be a rabbit.
- She created her own set of Christmas tree ornaments this week too by painting wooden cut-outs bought from the Dollar Store and then glueing sparkles on them.
- Cut out pictures from old magazines, then arrange and glue them to a piece of construction paper to create a unique piece of art. Silly faces and landscapes are always fun!
Be creative! Use your imagination! Be silly and spontaneous! Your toddler will thank you!
For more information on crafting and having fun with your kids, go to: http://www.kidcraftsmagazine.com/.
Thanks for reading!
It's easy to have fun with your toddler, you just have to use your imagination!
Examples:
- I have a big roll of kraft packaging paper. I get Em to lay down on it, then I trace around her and we colour it in and add stickers to it. We usually colour it in the way she is dressed that day, but sometimes we don't, it depends on what she wants to do.
- Yesterday, Grammy gave her a cotton ball with a piece of tape on it. Em stuck it on her bum and hopped around pretending to be a rabbit.
- She created her own set of Christmas tree ornaments this week too by painting wooden cut-outs bought from the Dollar Store and then glueing sparkles on them.
- Cut out pictures from old magazines, then arrange and glue them to a piece of construction paper to create a unique piece of art. Silly faces and landscapes are always fun!
Be creative! Use your imagination! Be silly and spontaneous! Your toddler will thank you!
For more information on crafting and having fun with your kids, go to: http://www.kidcraftsmagazine.com/.
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Heart Murmur
One has jaundice; the other has a heart murmur – mon dieu!
We have known about Emma’s heart murmur since she turned one. She was sent to see a specialist at that time and it was determined that her murmur was innocent.
At her two-year check up with Dr. Heeg on October 2, 2006 the murmur was still evident. It hadn’t gotten any worse, but it hadn’t gotten any better either; so off we went yesterday to again see the specialist, Dr. Kelly, a kindly Scottish gentleman with a soft voice.
Again, he determined it is an innocent heart murmur. But this time he explained a bit more as to what type of murmur Emma has.
Dr. Kelly determined that Emma has a Vibratory or Still’s Murmur. This type of murmur is often heard after infancy and is very common. The most interesting feature of this murmur is its ‘musical quality’. How extraordinary that she is even creative in her heart – literally! ;-)
Including Still’s Murmur, common innocent murmurs can be divided into four groups; Vibratory or Still’s Murmur, Pulmonary Flow Murmurs, Venous Hums, and Functional Murmurs.
To put other parents’ minds at ease, it is very common for a child to have a heart murmur. Between 30% and 75% of all children under the age of 18 have been found to have heart murmurs, with most being determined as innocent.
So don’t fret! Do have it checked out, but only worry when worrying is due.
To learn more about heart murmurs, go to Google and search ‘heart murmurs’ or click this link: http://www.childrensmemorial.org/cme/online/article.asp?articleID=154.
One has jaundice; the other has a heart murmur – mon dieu!
We have known about Emma’s heart murmur since she turned one. She was sent to see a specialist at that time and it was determined that her murmur was innocent.
At her two-year check up with Dr. Heeg on October 2, 2006 the murmur was still evident. It hadn’t gotten any worse, but it hadn’t gotten any better either; so off we went yesterday to again see the specialist, Dr. Kelly, a kindly Scottish gentleman with a soft voice.
Again, he determined it is an innocent heart murmur. But this time he explained a bit more as to what type of murmur Emma has.
Dr. Kelly determined that Emma has a Vibratory or Still’s Murmur. This type of murmur is often heard after infancy and is very common. The most interesting feature of this murmur is its ‘musical quality’. How extraordinary that she is even creative in her heart – literally! ;-)
Including Still’s Murmur, common innocent murmurs can be divided into four groups; Vibratory or Still’s Murmur, Pulmonary Flow Murmurs, Venous Hums, and Functional Murmurs.
To put other parents’ minds at ease, it is very common for a child to have a heart murmur. Between 30% and 75% of all children under the age of 18 have been found to have heart murmurs, with most being determined as innocent.
So don’t fret! Do have it checked out, but only worry when worrying is due.
To learn more about heart murmurs, go to Google and search ‘heart murmurs’ or click this link: http://www.childrensmemorial.org/cme/online/article.asp?articleID=154.
Thanks for reading!
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