MetaDaddy Gets Home

MetaDaddy gets back today, Saturday. I'm so, so, so looking forward to seeing him, as is MetaBoy. He's been antsy for a few days.

MetaDaddy will likely be glad to be home after 10 days of intense business travel and jet lag (15 hour time difference between here and China).

The way I figure it, when he gets back, he'll find:

1. MetaGirl has grown (I'd swear she has)
2. I'm now strong enough to pick up both kids...and possibly him. Michelle Obama arms!
3. MetaBoy was 100% in diapers 10 days ago, but is now practically fully potty trained. I'd say he's successful 80-90% of his waking hours. He might be more successful if I wasn't so scared to move him from pull ups to underwear. I'm waiting for MetaDaddy to get back to make the full transition.

It's been all about survival these past 10 days. So close...so close!

Movie: Away We Go

I LOVE Dave Eggers. I thoroughly believe his book "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" defined a generation. If you got it, you really found Eggers speaking your thoughts, even though his situation was probably nothing like yours. If you didn't get it, then you probably thought he was a whining idiot. I got it, and I've had a soft spot for him ever since. Mind you, it's been at least 10 years since I read the book, so who knows how I'd feel about it today.

I just heard about a new movie directed by Sam Mendes and co-written by...Dave Eggers! Away We Go, per the trailer, is reminiscent of Juno, but for adults. Funny, heart warming, soul searching...how do you handle getting your life ready when you've got a baby on the way. Maybe it's a movie that girls can relate to...especially those who've had a baby...and are me.

Eh, I don't know who the audience is, but I know that if we didn't have to pay $100 for movie tickets, a meal, and babysitter, we'd see this as soon as it hit theaters. Ah, parenthood.

Looking forward to the full feature via Netflix. In the meantime, the trailer.

Trailer: Away We Go

That's Why...

more animals

Holiday Madness

While it may seem that's I've fallen off of the face of the earth, I assure you I haven't. You know what December's like. You still have all of the same errands as usual, but now you have to worry about presents, parties, and travel plans.

I've gotten most of our shopping out of the way (no small feat, let me tell you), and we're actually looking forward to relaxing at a friend's party this weekend (probably because it's one of the rare occasions we're not cooking/cleaning/worrying the whole time). Ah, ain't it grand?

And travel. Well, ya. We've decided to do it. The big one. We're taking the fussy, whiney toddler on a plane with hundreds of poor other passengers. And ya, we're taking the infant, too. Crossing our fingers that she'll be a bit less fussy than MetaBoy, but you never know. We thought that because he was such a good eater (he would routinely nurse and immediately fall asleep), we could rely on that habit to help us pacify him on the flight. Whoa, were we wrong. He slept all of 30 minutes, but that's been the case on every flight he's ever been on. He doesn't fall asleep in his car seat either, so that was another tell-tale sign. For those 10 hours, some of the time he was calm, some of the time he was entertained, but most of the time he was cranky.

But MetaGirl already seems generally calmer than him, and she can actually fall asleep in her car seat. So we've decided to chance it and go to Ireland. We're going to enclose ourselves in a tiny space with a gazillion people for 10 hours. Why? Because it's the holidays. We all have to suffer a little to know how good we have it. Besides, when we get to Ireland, it'll all be worth it. MetaBoy is going to have a ridiculously good time with his aunts, uncle, and Nana. Our biggest challenge will be stopping him from eating salmon at every meal (he's just like his daddy, that way).

So, don't fret. We're all still here. And if you're ever wondering, I've been tweeting since it's much easier to do from my phone (I don't have as much computer time these days and there's a character limit...which I need).

Hope the holidays are treating you all well!!

Mothers' Hair

Ya, this is how I feel. Is Suave the answer?

Breastfed Babies Don't Get Constipated

Our pediatrician says breastfed babies don't get constipated. Yes, they might not poop as often as babies on formula, but it's because their bodies use breastmilk more efficiently, so there isn't the same amount of waste produced.

This is what he told us when we called frantically two years ago when MetaBoy hadn't pooped in days. Maybe it was two days, but he'd gone from pooping several times a day to nothing. He put our minds at ease, though we were still careful and suspicious.

Later that day, MetaBoy pooped. Oh boy did he poop. He pooped so much it filled and leaked out of his diaper, and ruined his onesie.

What we learned: this is how MetaBoy deals with poop.

The other day, I was nursing MetaGirl. When she finished, she nodded off and I held her for a while. She can be so ridiculously cuddly.

Suddenly, she made a pooping noise. (Note: Newborns poop really loud for such small creatures.) She hadn't pooped for a couple of days, so we knew it was coming. I was wondering whether or not I should wait for some more action (inevitable that there would be more), when I noticed she felt squishier than usual. I could feel the new squishiness through the blanket she was wrapped in. Not good.

I move her a bit to inspect the damage, and suddenly...drip, drip. Yellow, mustard-like goo on me. On my pants. Do you have any idea how few pants I have that fit me right now? I'm in a strange stage where my tummy isn't as big as when I was heavily pregnant, but I can't stand even the mildest pressure on my tummy below my belly button. I have very few bottoms with very adjustable waistlines that are high enough to wear like grandpa pants.

So, MetaDaddy helped me up and we changed her. As expected, there was poop absolutely everywhere. We had to cut her out of her onesie. It was an ugly affair, let me tell you.

A wardrobe change for her and a wardrobe change for me later, we were walking back to the living room to sit for a few minutes to wind down before getting to bed. I started feeding her again because...well, she was suddenly quite hungry. After nursing, she nodded off. Then, her diaper leaked.

Ya, she peed on me.

These are not the fun days of nursing.

Caffeine

Oh, heck!!

I just realized I haven't had caffeine in like 3 years. No wonder I'm so tired!!!

Milk Supply Tip

I swear, it's become so hard to find time to post these days. You'd think I have some weird new something in my life consuming all of my mental energy.

But what?

Oh, right.

So, a lactation consultant gave me some great advice that I could really have used the first time when I was breastfeeding MetaBoy. I had so much milk, I was in severe pain every 2-3 hours due to engorgement, which eventually led to a plugged duct, mastitis, and an abscess. Ugly business, folks.

So, for those out there facing breastfeeding challenges, here's what I learned.

Increase your milk supply - start nursing on one side for a couple of minutes, then on the other side for a couple of minutes, and continue switching off. Feed frequently, even if it means waking the baby every couple of hours.

Reduce milk supply - start nursing on one side for a couple of minutes, then finish nursing on the other.

Why It's My Choice

Funny thing is I didn't expect the intensity of the comments posted so far from my prior post. Naive? Perhaps.

Funnier yet, two of the three posters sent me to ICAN-Online, which is the website I referenced in that very post.

The point of concern with the commenters is that I am allowing my obstetrician to decide how I will deliver M2 (i.e., VBAC or C-Section). However, I don't consider myself an unknowing participant in this endeavor. I've read up on VBACs, spoken to people who have chosen in favor and against them, and I have developed all sorts of opinions that are completely independent of my doctor's. My first labor has a lot to do with where I am today, so I'll start there.

I had a doula, and every intention and expectation to follow through with a drug-free childbirth. I expressed my desire for as little medical interference as possible in my birth plan, though I was not interested in going the route of using a midwife.

My doctor began seriously suggesting that we induce at week 40, but my husband and I stalled until week 41. At that point, I was put on pitocin and she broke my water, only to discover there was meconium in the fluid (descriptions on Natural Childbirth.org and Kids Health.org). This was potentially due to my pregnancy having gone into week 41, although I suspect that's debatable. She did an amnioinfusion (diluted the amniotic fluid with saline to wash meconium out of the amniotic sac before the baby has a chance to inhale it at birth), which was to be one of many bags I was hooked up during my labor. Being hooked up to various bags prevents you from moving around, which in turn prevents you from dealing with your pain in a medicine-free way. I labored through the night with the help of my doula, but after 7 hours, I was exhausted and there was no position in which I didn't feel pain, even between contractions. I went for the epidural. After that, my doula stayed and helped us get through things, emotionally and physically. At one point, we were informed that during contractions, our son's heart rate was normal, but on the low side of normal. They took me off of the pitocin to see if that remedied the problem, but it didn't. What it did do was slow down the contractions. Between the slowing of the labor and the concern over my son's heart rate, the doctor "seriously" suggested a c-section. I don't know about you, but if someone says your baby's life is in danger and you should really have this done to help him, I'm not about to point to my birth plan and remind them of how much I really don't want a c-section.

So, he was born kicking and screaming, and hasn't stopped since. While a c-section was the one thing I truly didn't want, I genuinely couldn't put my preference above the well-being of my child. And I can't say that I truly blame the doctor, either. Being an obstetrician comes with it's set of troubles, which includes soaring malpractice-insurance premiums. It's an environment which impels a conservative approach (i.e., better safe than sorry).

I seriously considered going to a new doctor, but in the end, I guess you could say my reason to stay with the same doctor was the age old reason: better the devil you know than the devil you don't. When I was pregnant last time, I asked her all sorts of questions, including her c-section rate (~15%). And since I have no way of knowing how another doctor might have handled the same situation, how can I know things would have turned out different. What I do know is that my recovery went very well, and I haven't experienced any real pain or complications from the surgery. I've spoken to a few people who have not been so fortunate. I don't really like her bedside manner, but now that I know the nuances of her demeanor, I can take her "matter of fact" approach with a grain of salt. That, and I can mock her accent...it's hilarious.

Besides that, I know that a lot of doctors will not do a VBAC. She said she was open to the possibility, and quelled my concern of uterine rupture by saying the rate was well below 1%. But it's still a serious concern of mine. I know women who've experienced it, and it's not something I'd like to deal with first hand.

Maybe I'm just trying to make lemonade out of these lemons, but I can find merit to a VBAC and a c-section. My body has not really experienced labor, so there would be new and wonderfully painful things to recover from there. I have friends and family who seriously worry about a VBAC. I try to reason out why it's possibly safer than a c-section, but I can't help but think of the little things that can go wrong. Rare? Ya. Impossible? No.

Either method isn't making me jump up and down with excitement. But I'm not pregnant because I want to experience labor. I'm pregnant because my husband and I want to share our meager little home with a kid. We're doing that existential thing where we breed because we can and that's what we're biologically meant to do. Well, maybe that's an argument for another day, but my point is that I never cared about the empowerment or experience of labor, I just want to assure the safety of the baby and me. If I can still pick up and hug my toddler after the fact, that's just gravy.

Groovy Dancing Girl

My sister in law sent me a You Tube video. Apparently, Groovy Dancing Girl is a graphics designer who dances...possibly as a means to make sure she fits into those jeans ;-)

Watching it reminds me of how I feel on any given day chasing after MetaToddler. Except my version contains more falling, bruises, and broken things (like dishes and toes).

On that note, groove.

Stuff I love: MD Skincare

Generally speaking, there are very few beauty products or regimens I have the time or patience for. I don't like the touchy feely aspect of facials. I'm not one to wear makeup, so it's kept to a minimum. I've had friends ask if I wear make-up at all. Indignantly, I always answer "yes,"though I do begrudgingly admit to having quite a light hand. The thing is, I have oily skin, so historically I've avoided makeup to avoid breakouts. Besides that, I have big eyes, so I don't see the need to add attention with eyeliner and such. As a result, the only thing I know to do with an eyeliner pencil is write notes on paper.

Yes, it's all wasted on me.

However, because I've struggled with my complexion and breakouts over the years, I know most products don't work. And I hate wasting my time and money on empty promises. I did find one that I really liked though. MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel. I swear it was well more effective than a pricey facial, with much less time and money committed. It's a bit pricey, so I tend to only use it if I have some sort of "gotta look good" commitment coming up, or if I really feel I need a pick me up, but I think it's a great rescue treat. Of course I could use a rescue treat these days, but I won't until after August. Le sigh.

Nice gift to someone. Or to yourself for that matter. And it's currently on sale with Hydra-Pure Redness Soothing Serum, which I can't vouch for because I've never used it. The regular price for the Face Peel is $75, but the MD Skincare website has both for $85. You can also get 25% off from Daily Candy if you use code MDCANDY08 at checkout. That said, it's also available at department stores, so have your pick.

I know I sound like an ad, but I wasn't paid for this. I just really like the results of the product, and I was reminded in hearing about their sale.

And if you're into that whole thing, they also currently have a discount code for Stila products (free shipping using code STILACANDY).

After all Mother's Day is just around the corner ;-)

Book Club: Yays and Woes

I like my book club. It's an opportunity to get together with a bunch of relatively like-minded women with interesting perspectives, pursuits, and backgrounds. Our reactions to books are generally all over the place, when we all manage to read the novel in question, that is. It makes for fun debates. And inevitably, we meander through topics ranging from politics to tabloid gossip to chocolate.  Always chocolate.

I felt a bit guilty not reading this month's selection, but I got a bit distracted. We had 6 weeks between meetings, and I kept thinking "I have loads of time." Then, I was down to two weeks. Then one. My only vindication was in knowing that the book was truly depressing, and as such, I probably wouldn't have finished it. I'm not good with depressing topics these days ;-)

Moving right along, I've decided to get cracking and get the selection for this month, "Places to Stay the Night" by Ann Hood. No, not a travel guide, silly. Unfortunately, my local library doesn't carry it. And since it's out of print, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and the author's website don't carry it new, though some do carry it used. Yes, used is cheaper. However, it's the worst of both worlds, isn't it? Used AND not free. Even worse, if it turns out that I don't like it, it'll find it's way to my bookshelf until I manage to expunge it from my collection. Funny enough, if I do end up liking it, it'll be gone in no time because I'll be excited to share it with others.

The cost of literacy and socializing, I suppose :-P

When Pre-Toddler Maternity Clothes Are Just Useless

I'm a mess today. And not for the usual reasons.

Last weekend, I gave in and accepted that I could no longer comfortably fit into most of my pants, so I made the switch. I took my maternity clothes out of the suitcase and put my "real" clothes in, not to be seen for a long, long time (*sniff, sniff*). It struck my how small my maternity wardrobe is, but it's just as well. I don't have that much room for vanity.

Conscious of the temporary wardrobe that is was, I spent relatively little on it. However, I made it a point to buy a few frilly things that might have cost a bit more because if you don't feel like you look good, you just don't feel good. It's like being on a diet...if you deny yourself the stuff you love all the time, you're just going to end up rebelling and binging when the opportunity arises. And doesn't it always?

Today, I wore a pair of khaki pants that I wore all the time until I outgrew them. It's amazing how you think you couldn't possibly outgrow something "that big," then one day, you literally can't fit them past your cankles. They're nice, comfortable, and they hardly look maternity...except for the wonderful stretchy panel :-) Perfect for the office, back when that was my gig.

Enter MetaToddler.

We go out, he in his always precious garb, I in my newly discovered khaki pants...and other stuff. We're not out for five minutes, and I look like a hobo. I picked him up to go down the stairs into the garage, and his little dust-collecting shoes left wee little footprints all over me. When I realize what's happened, I have dirt on what looks like half of my pants. Appropriately, I don't realize until we've been to several places.

I think the khaki pants might not be making it out of the closet this pregnancy. What's more, I might have to invest a few bitter dollars into a few pairs of forgiving jeans and corduroy. Fortunately, I still remember a few of my maternity clothes haunts. Specifically, Gap, which is where I found some crazy deals. I got most of my pants from there, and the average cost was $10-15 (purchased on clearance). Shipping on all maternity clothes is free, and you can return the duds to the store (i.e., no return shipping required). Currently, they're out of corduroy in my size (dang!!), but I'll be investigating a few other options.

Cooking With A Toddler

Wow. It's like she was in my kitchen last night.

MetaBoy was in a pretty good mood, so when I started making dinner, he came over to the kitchen and hung out. He had his little bowl, took a spoon from the drawer, and started spooning imaginary food. I thought "precious!!" So I gave him his little pot and lid so he could cook properly alongside MetaMommy. He had his fun, then proceeded to use the pot and lid to make precious little dents in the floor.

Then half-way through, as per his recent inclinations, he climbs up on the dining room chair and sits at the table. He starts by signing for food...then whining for food...then wailing for food. All of this, mind you, took no more than 30 seconds.

So, I calmly ask him "what's wrong? What would you like?" He signs that he's hungry. So I make him a little snack, and put it on the table in front of him. It entertained him for a few minutes, but all the while I've got my eye on him like a hawk because he loves throwing food on the floor. Why? Because he can. The other reason? Because climbing on the chair is only half the fun. The other half is standing on it. Standing on the chair gives him a one-way ticket back to the floor with a very stern warning, which he usually chuckles at as he runs off to find his car, Elmo puppet, or book.

On the bright side, he didn't spend the evening doing his other favorite trick. Whining non-stop while hugging my leg as I drag him across the kitchen in my feeble attempt to make dinner. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth across the the kitchen. Our only saving grace is that the kitchen is tiny and ridiculously well-laid out, so there isn't that much dragging involved. That said, this behavior is usually rewarded by some Sesame Street and Cheerios. We're good as long as that lasts, but once the kitchen "dance" resumes, all we can do is clasp our hands together and hope MetaDaddy will walk through that front door before we become uncivilized. Poor MetaDaddy for the knot of stress he walks into on those special days.

But last night wasn't that bad. Makes me think about getting a dog, though ;-)

Bracing Myself

Sometimes I do things that I regret as soon as it's too late to back out.

I'm getting braces.

I'm in my 30s, with a husband and kid, and I'm getting braces. Funny enough, I just heard a story on NPR about adults who go to the trouble and expense of cosmetic dentistry. One person said she had braces as a teenager, but now at 53, her teeth have reverted back to their crooked positions. Apparently, teeth have a good memory. Maybe they can help me find my phone the next time it's ringing during MetaBoy's nap.

And here's another article where a 47-year old woman detailed her experiences with braces...after forcing her son to endure the torture. He had his fun with that ;-)

But I digress.

Some background. Obviously, I didn't get braces as a teenager...otherwise, I probably wouldn't be posting about this. My teeth are only slightly crooked, but they're pretty compacted. How bad is it? I hate flossing because it leaves my teeth hurting for the rest of the day. So I floss infrequently and at night. I've also come to notice that since my upper molars don't sit flat on my lower molars, my lower teeth are wearing down at an angle, which will likely lead to problems down the road. Oh, and one tooth is crooked and bothers me aesthetically. However, there's no way I would do this if it was just for that one tooth. I'm just saying.

A couple of other reasons for giving in to this ridiculous whim of mine:

• My orthodontist said it should take about 8 months, which really didn't seem like a significant time commitment...at the time.
  
• We had enough FSA money left over in 2007 that it was worth looking into what we could benefit from spending it on. This was added to the fact that our dental plan is pretty generous with orthodontia.
  
• I'm not working, which means I don't have to convince people to respect my authority despite my height, gender, and youthful appearance. Braces would not have worked to my advantage at work, so this is as good a time as ever to follow through with it.
  
• My husband's theory is that if I'm happy, everyone's happy. Truly the mark of a smart man.

As for the gear, I chose braces over Invisalign, which are a series of trays that fits over your teeth to slowly move them into place. While I was a candidate for them, my orthodontist pointed out that they take longer and are on average only 80% effective. He's had patients who need braces for a couple of months after Invisalign to attain a healthy bite. That meant that it would have costed more, taken longer, and might not have yielded final results.

Soooooo...here I am.

This past week, I had spacers put in, which are 8 teeny tiny rubber bands inserted between 4 molars. They're put in place with floss, which was actually a challenge because it's hard enough to get floss in at the best of times. Nevermind if you're leaving little rubber bands behind. A couple of days after I could feel my teeth had moved because my bite feels misaligned. Between that and the movement of the teeth in general, chewing is actually quite a challenge right now. I can't chew anything hard. I can hardly chew soft things, mostly opting for MetaBaby-soft food. An interesting side-effect is that I truly appreciate Boogie's teething pain more than ever. I also shrink at the thought of people who go for years with dental pain, and don't get it fixed. MetaDaddy apparently spent 10 years chewing on one side because he was avoiding a root canal. Yes, a root canal sucks. But 10 years of chewing on one side? Seriously?!?

Had I known the pain was going to start once the spacers were in, I would have had a ridiculous buffet send-off of hard, sticky, chewy foods like steak, ribs, apples, gum, cucumber...ugh, and how I miss salad.

Next week, the hardware.

The Joys of Parenthood

I got this via e-mail today, and I thought I'd share it with all of the pretty moms out there. Actually, I know dads can relate too, so it's really for all parents out there.

********************************************************
Before I was a Mom -
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every
10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache,the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

Unbalanced Kitchen

Note to self:

The next time you drop something small, but heavy in the kitchen while MetaBaby's sleeping, don't overreact. That is, don't hurl yourself towards the floor to catch said object before it hits; it will hit anyway. More important, don't do this while wearing tight jeans just out of the dryer. The combination of the two will result in an unsightly bump in the middle of your forehead.

Heed this warning, self, or invest in more hats.

Getting to Know Meme

It feels like it took me forever to do this. My buddy Mom over at What Works for Us tagged me with a meme. Challenge: answer in 10 words or less. Questions...interesting but tough. In 10 words...Ack!

That said, I'm passing on the torch because I'd like to get to know you all better. Don't hate me :-)
Sabine M, Dragonheart, and Ipanema.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
   Dessert, sunshine, shady tree, and my boys.
   
2. What is your greatest fear?
   Death of a loved one.
   
3. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
   I try to learn from history, so..any and all.
   
4. Which living person do you most admire?
   My husband - he does so much for us.
   
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
   I should speak out more.
   
6. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
   Egocentricity
   
7. What is your greatest extravagance?
   Being a stay at home parent.
   
8. What is your favorite journey?
   Through the farmers' market
   
9. On what occasion do you lie?
   Some people just don't want the truth.
   
10. What do you dislike most about your appearance?
    Those pesky gray hairs.
    
11. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
    "I'm just saying" & "Stop that please"
    
12. What is your greatest regret?
    I don't believe in regrets, only learning experiences.
    
13. When and where were you happiest?
    Pre-2006: Spain 2003; Post-2006: Weekends with my boys
    
14. Which talent would you most like to have?
    Photographic skills
    
15. If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
    Exchange the nuts for Kit Kats.
    
16. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
    My family
    
17. If you were to die and come back as a person/thing, what would it would be?
    Knowing my luck, a "tongue-for-toilet-paper" cat.
    
18. If you could choose what/who to come back as, what would it be?
    The Container Store
    
19. What is your most treasured possession?
    Tivo
    
20. What is your favorite occupation?
    Pastry chef
    
21. What is your most marked characteristic?
    Big brown eyes
    
22. What is the quality that you most like in a man?
    Geeky smart, not smarty-pants smart
    
23. What is the quality that you most like in a woman?
    Honestly
    
24. What do you most value in your friends?
    They are my reality check.
    
25. Who are your heroes in real life?
    People who do what they have to do to care for their families.
    
26. What is it that you most dislike?
    When my plans are foiled. Oh, and these.
    
27. How would you like to die?
    I don't want to know.
    
28. What is your motto?
    When in doubt, eat chocolate.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer or Mastitis?

If you're not nursing, but you have mastitis-like symptoms, have you considered getting checked out for Inflammatory Breast Cancer? It's different to the mainstream breast cancer we've been trained to inspect for because there is no lump, but it's just as lethal. Here's a 6 minute video clip from ABC News with some good info.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer

WhyMommy at Toddler Planet, who is currently fighting IBC, is doing a world of good by helping get the word out.

If something doesn't feel right, get it checked out. Something to keep in mind as we go through our daily struggles to avoid falling behind on work and family affairs.

Mastitis

I wish I knew all of the "what ifs" about nursing because it wasn't an easy start, let me tell you. Let's get in the "way, way back machine" and start at the very beginning. When I started nursing, I just went with the flow (tee hee...flow) and let MetaBaby nurse away. He latched on well and was doing a great job. I had a lot of milk -- possibly too much milk. At some point, just after I was recovering from my C-Section, I got a lump on my breast. After doing a lot of research online, I discovered it was probably a plugged duct, which Dr. Sears describes as follows:

Sometimes a milk duct leading from the milk-making cells to the nipple gets plugged, resulting in a tender lump beneath the areola. There may also be a wedge-shaped area of redness extending from the lump back towards the wall of the chest. Unlike mastitis, the pain comes and goes with a plugged duct, and unless the duct is infected, you will not feel generally ill. If left untreated, however, a plugged duct may become infected, resulting in mastitis, infection, or a breast abscess.

I tried the following methods to clear the duct, which were a combination of tips I read online, as well as suggestions from my lactation consultant.

• Nursed from the affected side first at every nursing session.
  
• Pressure massage the lump in the direction of the nipple.
  
• Apply moist heat compresses or take a shower before nursing.
  
• Wear a non-restrictive nursing bra.
  
• Treat self like you have a cold: get a lot of rest (nurse baby in bed), drink fluids, take echinacea, lecithin, and extra vitamin C & E.
  
• Position nursing baby's chin towards plugged duct.

Despite my best efforts, the lump only got worse. I didn't have a fever, so my lactation consultant and I were consoled in knowing that I didn't have mastitis. She really helped me exhaust the natural methods to clear the duct. While I really didn't want antibiotics, in the end I had no choice. I started on them on a Friday, and the next day, I noticed there was an abscess in the affected area. It turns out that I not only had mastitis, it had developed into an abscess, which in case it's not obvious, hurts like you would not believe. A portion of it drained that weekend, and I went to see my ob/gyn on Monday.

She was pretty nonchalant about it until she saw it. She gasped in what I can only assume was horror, and sent me straight to the surgeon two floors down. He took a look and sent me to get an ultrasound to see how much fluid was left and if it was worth draining. It turns out there wasn't much left, but he was pretty concerned, so he drained it to allow the area to heal properly. Out-patient surgery...eek! The sound of that scared me, but it turns out it wasn't too bad. It was quick, and MetaBaby was cooing in his stroller a few feet away. I won't say it was painless, but it didn't hurt as much as the abscess, so I just coped. I went back for a few follow ups and it seemed to have cleared up pretty well. Once I stop nursing, I need to go back and get a mammogram to evaluate the health of the breast when it's off duty and milk free.

The moral of the story?

• You can have mastitis even if you don't have a fever or flu-like symptoms.
  
• When you start nursing, avoid engorgement as much as possible. Allow you're baby to drain each side well, but don't use a pump to finish the job as this will impact your milk supply.
  
• Cabbage leaves on your breasts serve to reduce your milk supply. They're great to relieve engorgement, but do so sparingly so you don't overdo it.
  
• Wear a bra that doesn't dig into any sensitive areas, and avoid underwires entirely, or at least until after your milk supply settles.

Dr Sears' list of mastitis symptoms:

• Part or all of the breast is intensely painful, hot, tender, red, and swollen. Some mothers can pinpoint a definite area of inflammation, while at other times the entire breast is tender.
  
• You feel tired, run down, achy, have chills or think you have the flu. A breastfeeding mother who thinks she has the flu probably has mastitis. Mothers with mastitis will sometimes experience these flu-like symptoms, even before they get a fever or notice breast tenderness.
  
• You have chills or feel feverish, or your temperature is 101F or higher. These symptoms suggest that you have an infection.
  
• You are feeling progressively worse, your breasts are growing more tender, and your fever is becoming more pronounced.
• With simple engorgement, a plugged duct, or mastitis without infection, you gradually feel better instead of worse.
  
• Recent events have set you up for mastitis: cracked or bleeding nipples, stress or getting run down, missed feedings or longer intervals between feedings.

Potential causes, per KellyMom:

• Engorgement or inadequate milk removal (due to latching problems, ineffective suck, tongue-tie or other anatomical variations, nipple pain, sleepy or distracted baby, oversupply, hurried feedings, limiting baby's time at the breast, nipple shield use, twins or higher order multiples, blocked nipple pore, etc.).
  
• Infrequent/skipped feedings (due to nipple pain, teething, pacifier overuse, busy mom, return to work, baby suddenly sleeping longer, scheduling, supplementing, abrupt weaning, etc.).
  
• Pressure on the duct (from fingers, tight bra or clothing, prone sleeping, diaper bag, etc.).
  
• Inflammation (from injury, bacterial/yeast infection, or allergy).
  
• Stress, fatigue, anemia, weakened immunity

The Pump Station's list of possible causes:

• Missed or irregular feedings and/or an unusually long interval between feedings.
  
• Pressing the breast to provide nostril space for the baby.
  
• Wearing a tight or poorly fitting bra that impedes milk flow.
  
• Having an overabundant milk supply and insufficient breast drainage.
  
• Practicing vigorous upper arm exercise.
  
• Extreme exhaustion.
  
• Rapid weaning.

I hope none of you ever have to deal with any of these issues, but you're better off if you know what you're dealing with. That said, this post is only a reflection of my experiences. Be sure to contact your doctor if you have any serious symptoms because time is of the essence. The sooner you resolve the problem, the less drastic your course of action.

Note: October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Go check out Mom's post at What Works For Us on breast cancer facts and statistics. The numbers are staggering.