Just Stuff

Jaspenelle
by Jaspenelle
Tue
30
Dec
2008
6:27pm
Posted in sub-blogs:
Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,
7 Comments

snow
In the past three weeks we have had nearly 60 inches of snow, that makes this the snowiest December on record for Spokane. Up until now it had all been dry snow but yesterday we had over five inches of heavy wet snow, we might have 5 more tonight. Three roofs around town collapsed today. Our roof was creaking on and off too, a little disconcerting, but I think it was just the wind since it has not made some much as a peep today. I called management about it though, not that they are going to do anything, I have been calling them daily about my busted dishwasher and still nothing. In February we are probably going to start to look for a house since our lease is up at the end of March I think. Hopefully all this snow will have given way to Spring by then.

I just realized that it is only 10 more days till my 23rd birthday (January 9th.) I don’t usually think about my birthday that much but for some reason it seems particularly exciting this year. Not that I have anything special planned. Maybe I will make myself a cake.

I have been under the weather for a few days, hopefully that will go away before my day. My back pain went away as mysteriously as it showed up, leaving behind general aches, pains and a scratchy throat. Can’t wait to feel better so I can get back to learning to bellydance. I still have to get out to the store to buy knitting needles so I can start working through my dvd about that. Learning to bellydance and knit are on my dreamboard for projects to accomplish this year.

Damian has been doing well, he decided he wanted solid food instead of one of his nursings today. My little guy is growing up! I have had two or three people ask me when I am going to wean him lately, or suggesting that I do so, which I don’t really get. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least one year and as long as mutually desired by mother and child beyond that and the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for at least two years. I think they have more weight in my decision then someone’s uninformed opinion. So no, I am not going to be weaning Damian any time some.

I bought Michael a songbook called Songs for Earthlings and it arrived yesterday. I am really pleased with it. It is 390 pages of Pagan songs and chants for all occasions, including sheet music. There is a section on music theory in it so I am trying to learn to read music with it. I got Michael a keyboard a couple years ago so now he has some stuff to actually play with it. If you are into Pagan music, I really recommend it, it is the only one like it out there I think.

Anyhow I’m going to go sit with Michael while he plays Deep and Fallow.

7 Comments

  1. Zuca
    Posted Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 10:24 pm | Permalink

    Thats strange about the weening and breastfeeding, that those two organizations say 1 – 2 years. Over here its commonly accepted to be around a couple of months at most and to start weening early to avoid complications.

    And the snow is amazing, we had like an inch of snow over here and its already gone, white christmasses are pretty erm, unusual over here.
    I’d love some more snow though, I’ve played with it a lot in my childhood and would once more like to, though I guess 60 inches isn’t going to be that much fun to play with.

    I’ve got a little news, I’ve been busy and in a month (exactly), I’ll be in france with a new job, new life, new everything ^^.. Its a very nice company with all kinds of benefits and I’ve always wanted to work in a foreign country on projects I actually care about (cancer and other disease cure research and such). And now its happening, hooray :)

    If you guys ever need a vacation spot in europe, you’re invited now :P

    Take care

    Edwin

  2. Jaspenelle
    Posted Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 6:16 am | Permalink

    What do people over there mean by complications, if anything not breastfeeding for a full year or longer causes them?

    Congrats on the new job!

  3. Zuca
    Posted Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 7:07 am | Permalink

    My mom explains that the longer you breastfeed your baby, the more of a risk it can become.

    Breastmilk contains certain nutrients and things a baby needs but as it grows, it will need more and slowly start needing other things as well. Things breastmilk by itself won’t be able to provide anymore.

    Which means it will get less of its required amount of nutrients, which in turn can have a bad effect on the baby’s health.

    If you take a good watch on your baby (weigh him often, temperature, symptom check) then you’ll be fine, but things like weight can be missed easily because you’re around your baby every day, so you won’t see the small changes in how the baby responds unless you keep these things in check. (kindoff like how someone wont notice, if you put one penny in their wallet everyday, then one day they suddenly realize they have a lot of pennies.)

    Complications could be anything from just getting sick more easily to cramps or in some cases (according to my moms experience) a lot higher chance of diabetes.

    Now my mom was sure to say that it doesn’t have to be a problem, but you need to keep a close eye, you don’t want to end up denying your child the nutrients he needs ^^.

  4. Jaspenelle
    Posted Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 8:37 am | Permalink

    I have to say, I strongly disagree with your mother’s stance. I hope she does not advise breastfeeding mothers like that because I feel her advice would put them at risk not benefit them. Of course I might have misunderstood what you typed, I really hope so.

    Weight is a very poor indicator of a baby’s readiest to accept solids, that is an old wives tale. Studies have proven that, especially for babies under 6 months. It is maturity of the digestive tract, which comes with age, not size, that determines a baby’s ability to process solids. If solids are started too early in the place of breastmilk you actually raise your child’s risk of diabetes, obesity and many other health problems.

    Breastmilk is the best and only food a child needs for the first 6 months of life and the primary food recommended for the first year (so more breastmilk then solids.) Some medical professionals will even delay solids a full year if the family has a history of serious allergies. This give a baby’s digestive system time to fully develop. Breastmilk is a complete food and has the most absorbable form of nutrients for a baby (formula is a poor substitute.) For example, some people say that breastmilk has very little iron, which is true, but it is the easiest form of iron for a baby to absorb too, so not much is needed. Unlike with formula which has a ton of iron but that us because most of it is not absorbed.

    When it comes to introducing solids, of course it is important to offer a child a diverse variety of food but again, between 6 months and a year (again using data from the AAP) breast milk is still the most important food in a baby’s diet. I really can’t say that enough.

    Of course it is important for the mother to watch her diet, but that is common knowledge. Everyone should watch their diet, breastfeeding or not.

    There are always rare exceptions to the studies of course and it is always important to watch your child (it’s called being a parents.) I think the main way people deny their babies needed nutrients is to believe myths and wean way too early.

    I am not saying your mother is stupid, just misinformed. The older women in my family have the same beliefs but there is a lot more studies and information about breastfeeding now then their was then. Which is why it is so important for a new mother to research it for herself rather then solely take the advice of past generations.

  5. Alex
    Posted Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 11:19 am | Permalink

    BITTY MOMMY!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8orUaCJ0GY

  6. peppylady
    Posted Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 7:10 pm | Permalink

    Snow we sure have a lot of it. But I think we got a little less New Year day I’ll be putting up my weather report.

    I guess everyone has an opinion about it. I breast feed both of my boys to about a year old because they where late getting there teeth in.
    But I feed solids along with it but can’t recall actual when I started.

    If the little one healthy and growing your doing ok then.

    Coffee is on.

  7. Zuca
    Posted Thursday, January 1, 2009 at 7:01 am | Permalink

    I might have explained it wrong, I’m being a bit of the middle man I guess without much knowledge myself on the topic specifically, not a smart idea on my side I think XD.

    She wasn’t trying to say that a babies weight is a measurement for when to start feeding a baby solids. It is most definitely not.

    What she meant to say, was that in her experience, parents who go too long with “just” breast feeding have had more trouble in the future then those that didn’t.

    She also says that studies change, she gets confronted with it a lot because she’s still in the business, thus she relies more on her experience and always makes sure to keep in contact with families for a long time, just to see how they are doing, how the baby is progresing.

    Now, I’m not saying the information from those studies are wrong, but my mom has told me that studies like that change opinions and that at times you also deal with “whats popular” at the moment.. In the Netherlands, apparently wearing gloves and trying to restrict body to body contact with your baby seems like a good idea according to new studies here, its “safer” for the child’s health somehow, but biologically and seen from a immunological point of view, thats just ridiculous over the long run.

    So if I had to pick, I’d choose someone with a life full of experience with such things,over that of the newest studies.
    But I’m saying that, admitting right now that most of the information I have is handed from my mom and that my interpretation might be biased because of that..
    And that the situation with midwifing in the Netherlands might be different as well.

    I’m not scrambling back, I do still believe that someone with a life long of experience can say more on the topic then science and studies on human biology. Not that they don’t have their place of course, I highly respect the sciences, but what I hear, a lot of new studies say new things quickly, and unless it has been established for many years that a certain treatment (or method) works, I wouldn’t risk it too easily.

    But thats just me.

    Oh and a happy new year, may your family stay strong and healthy throughout the new year (and years after that^^).