Sunday, 26 May 2013
Being a Mom/Being Active
Long time no post, I know. You know how motherhood is :P (actually that's a tad bit of an excuse, but I'll pretend nonetheless). I thought I would post something about keeping fit with a baby, although I'm quite new at the whole thing :P
I have tried to at least do some light stretching as often as I remember, because when you carry around a baby and perform all those repetitive tasks, your body can get upset at you. For example, when Clay was just a few weeks old I noticed that my right wrist started aching. Then it starting killing me. I realized that it was because I was putting all the pressure of his weight on my joints instead of compensating for the extra weight with the muscles in my arms (especially when I picked him up from lying down, or breastfed him). Not so long afterwards, I noticed my upper back on the right hand side started twinging at times... Still haven't quite figured this one out, but doing some twisting stretches helps. I think my back might be hurting because I need to squat more and use my arms more, instead of putting all the pressure on my back to do everything. Also, the necessity of having good posture is becoming more and more prevalent. I notice I slouch a lot, especially while breastfeeding. I've lost some of the muscle tone in my back and abs after pregnancy and delivery (gasp!), and I've found it to be quite the challenge gaining it back while having to care for baby 24/7. I want to be there for Clay as much as I possibly can be, so while going out for the occasional yoga class isn't the end of the world, I want to find things we can do together that will keep me fit and feeling good (while keeping him entertained and content without the need for a babysitter, or a tv screen :P)!
Yoga with Baby
Yeah, this is something I've tried... and it works when he's in a good mood. I can incorporate him into some of the stretches like bound angle pose (where he sits in my lap in the same position, and we both lean forward (WARNING: do not try this pose after feeding unless you wanna see your milk again for some strange reason...) or some seated side bends (he sits in the triangle my legs create), standing wide leg forward bend (I hold him up by his hands in front of me so he can stand while I stretch), he can lay across my legs like superman if I hug them into my chest lying down, PLUS I can use him as a weight for lunges! There are a lot of ways to incorporate your baby into your yoga practice, although many poses require you to put baby down. Perhaps sometimes they won't mind, but if they do you'll hear about it! Now, I've only done this with a totally immobile baby, but there are dvds and books out there that can give you ideas for all ages. Personally, I watched one baby mama yoga dvd and hated it because the woman just did yoga while the baby just sat on the floor, or crawled around. Yep, it takes a real genius to come up with that. So I just came up with ways on my own that Clay could join in. It all depends on the baby and the mood he/she happens to be in. One more thing, there are baby mama yoga classes too (and I've heard of baby mama pilates I believe..?), I've just never gone to one.
Walking
Yeah, I didn't really like the idea of walking for no reason either... although I do try my best to live by the philosophy of "life is a journey, not a destination". If the mood strikes, do it right away (or as soon as you possibly can, being a mom and all). To make it more interesting, I may power walk, or even more exciting (sheesh :P), power walk to a destination (*sigh*)... be it the grocery store, the mall, a coffee shop, whatever. When you walk, power walk (walk fast!) if you can. If not, just normal walking or strolling is still fantastic, and really good for you. I walk with Clay in a baby carrier (the mei tai is great for walking!) which contributes another 15 pounds to my ventures, but walking with a stroller works too (unless your walk happens to be a hike! :D). Getting out of the house and breathing some fresh air feels great!
Jogging
So I just got a jogging stroller today off kijiji.ca for $60.00! I went out for my first jog in over a year! It felt SO good to get my heart pumping and my lungs working! Clay didn't mind the stroller (this is the first time he's been in a stroller, and jogging is all I plan on using it for, despite the convenience of cup holders and storage compartments!), but I need to bundle him up more next time. I didn't think about the fact that he wouldn't be right next to my body to keep him warm.
Obviously there's no (comfortable, and maybe safe) way of jogging with an infant without a stroller, so there is that start up cost, but you can usually find one for a decent price on kijiji or in a baby consignment/secondhand store. Get a good pair of shoes and work it! I am SO looking forward to jogging with a mama friend of mine and her beautiful baby girl!
Family Centers
Some family centers that offer a "new parents group" or "parent and tot" meetings have things like zumba or aerobics. I know the family center I go to had zumba every Monday last month. You could bring your baby and they could chill out (or not) with other babies who also came to watch. Yes, if your baby starts freaking out you'll have to salsa your way out of that sweaty bliss (and what mom isn't used to dropping everything in the throes of their wailing wee one?), but who knows, they might even allow you a couple minutes, while they check out their new buds and watch in drooly amusement (and milky fantasies?) as you flail about, attempting to shimmy.
Anyways, that's all I can think of. It just comes down to the fact that our bodies need to move! and both mama and baby will benefit immensely from a healthy, active lifestyle.
Cheers!
I have tried to at least do some light stretching as often as I remember, because when you carry around a baby and perform all those repetitive tasks, your body can get upset at you. For example, when Clay was just a few weeks old I noticed that my right wrist started aching. Then it starting killing me. I realized that it was because I was putting all the pressure of his weight on my joints instead of compensating for the extra weight with the muscles in my arms (especially when I picked him up from lying down, or breastfed him). Not so long afterwards, I noticed my upper back on the right hand side started twinging at times... Still haven't quite figured this one out, but doing some twisting stretches helps. I think my back might be hurting because I need to squat more and use my arms more, instead of putting all the pressure on my back to do everything. Also, the necessity of having good posture is becoming more and more prevalent. I notice I slouch a lot, especially while breastfeeding. I've lost some of the muscle tone in my back and abs after pregnancy and delivery (gasp!), and I've found it to be quite the challenge gaining it back while having to care for baby 24/7. I want to be there for Clay as much as I possibly can be, so while going out for the occasional yoga class isn't the end of the world, I want to find things we can do together that will keep me fit and feeling good (while keeping him entertained and content without the need for a babysitter, or a tv screen :P)!
Yoga with Baby
Yeah, this is something I've tried... and it works when he's in a good mood. I can incorporate him into some of the stretches like bound angle pose (where he sits in my lap in the same position, and we both lean forward (WARNING: do not try this pose after feeding unless you wanna see your milk again for some strange reason...) or some seated side bends (he sits in the triangle my legs create), standing wide leg forward bend (I hold him up by his hands in front of me so he can stand while I stretch), he can lay across my legs like superman if I hug them into my chest lying down, PLUS I can use him as a weight for lunges! There are a lot of ways to incorporate your baby into your yoga practice, although many poses require you to put baby down. Perhaps sometimes they won't mind, but if they do you'll hear about it! Now, I've only done this with a totally immobile baby, but there are dvds and books out there that can give you ideas for all ages. Personally, I watched one baby mama yoga dvd and hated it because the woman just did yoga while the baby just sat on the floor, or crawled around. Yep, it takes a real genius to come up with that. So I just came up with ways on my own that Clay could join in. It all depends on the baby and the mood he/she happens to be in. One more thing, there are baby mama yoga classes too (and I've heard of baby mama pilates I believe..?), I've just never gone to one.
Walking
Yeah, I didn't really like the idea of walking for no reason either... although I do try my best to live by the philosophy of "life is a journey, not a destination". If the mood strikes, do it right away (or as soon as you possibly can, being a mom and all). To make it more interesting, I may power walk, or even more exciting (sheesh :P), power walk to a destination (*sigh*)... be it the grocery store, the mall, a coffee shop, whatever. When you walk, power walk (walk fast!) if you can. If not, just normal walking or strolling is still fantastic, and really good for you. I walk with Clay in a baby carrier (the mei tai is great for walking!) which contributes another 15 pounds to my ventures, but walking with a stroller works too (unless your walk happens to be a hike! :D). Getting out of the house and breathing some fresh air feels great!
Jogging
So I just got a jogging stroller today off kijiji.ca for $60.00! I went out for my first jog in over a year! It felt SO good to get my heart pumping and my lungs working! Clay didn't mind the stroller (this is the first time he's been in a stroller, and jogging is all I plan on using it for, despite the convenience of cup holders and storage compartments!), but I need to bundle him up more next time. I didn't think about the fact that he wouldn't be right next to my body to keep him warm.
Obviously there's no (comfortable, and maybe safe) way of jogging with an infant without a stroller, so there is that start up cost, but you can usually find one for a decent price on kijiji or in a baby consignment/secondhand store. Get a good pair of shoes and work it! I am SO looking forward to jogging with a mama friend of mine and her beautiful baby girl!
Family Centers
Some family centers that offer a "new parents group" or "parent and tot" meetings have things like zumba or aerobics. I know the family center I go to had zumba every Monday last month. You could bring your baby and they could chill out (or not) with other babies who also came to watch. Yes, if your baby starts freaking out you'll have to salsa your way out of that sweaty bliss (and what mom isn't used to dropping everything in the throes of their wailing wee one?), but who knows, they might even allow you a couple minutes, while they check out their new buds and watch in drooly amusement (and milky fantasies?) as you flail about, attempting to shimmy.
Anyways, that's all I can think of. It just comes down to the fact that our bodies need to move! and both mama and baby will benefit immensely from a healthy, active lifestyle.
Cheers!
Monday, 22 April 2013
First Annual "Go Diaper-Free" Week!
From April 21st to the 27th is the first annual Go Diaper-Free week!
http://godiaperfree.com/go-diaper-free-week/
https://www.facebook.com/GoDiaperFree?fref=ts
Day One
I started last night, and through the night I let Clay sleep in an AIO (All In One) diaper without the insert (so pretty much just a pair of underwear) and some pants. I put a couple of thick blankets underneath him so that if he had an accident my bed wouldn't get soaked. He peed three times and pooped twice throughout the night, and he had one miss (a pee). Throughout the day I'm keeping him in a pair of shorts or baby undies.
I was pretty excited when I discovered this event was taking place, because I've been doing Elimination Communication with Clay since he was a couple weeks old, but I've still been using diapers (which is fine). I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take that next step towards being diaper free, for a couple of reasons. One, it kinda forces me to be more aware of his signals, because there's more on the line (like getting drenched with pee), two, I noticed that the cloth diapers kinda spread his hips/knees outwards (they are kinda poofy) and when he doesn't wear a diaper he has more room to move his legs around, and three, I LOVE feeling his cute little bum under his clothes instead of a big poofy diaper, his body is just to cute :)
So I'll keep you updated on our experience going a week with no diapers (this includes going out places! :P). We'll be using baby shorts and pants, tiny undies and the covers for the AIOs. Wish me luck! :D
Day Two
So last night went really well! No accidents, and he peed like three times. It's nice because he usually saves all his poop until morning lol :P
So, today I went out to a new parents group in my community which I've been going to for 4 weeks now. This time, there were actually other new moms there! :D Once I got there and sat down for a few minutes, I predicted it would probably be time for a potty break. I brought the inside of our toddler potty with me (which Clay uses all the time at home), so I took it out of my diaper bag and got him ready to go. I was sitting with the two new mums (T and V), and another friend I made with a 10 month old (K) and I whipped the potty out and got Clay to pee. I swear one of the best things about EC is the reactions I get from people! :D Everyone was asking me questions about it, and we had some really good conversations! T was really considering getting into cloth diapering (still on the fence), and V and I were already using them. Talking to us both I think inspired her to take the plunge! :) (yay!) Also all the mums there are fellow breast feeders, and the two new mums are baby-wearers! Squee! Like-minded people with babies Clay's age, finally! :D
Clay peed a few times at the family center (he had a couple of leaks on me too lol). He got weighed by the public health nurse (he's 13 pounds 11 ounces). At 12:00 I took him to the bathroom to clean out his potty and he peed in the toilet. Then we took off, to catch the bus.
I met a woman at the bus stop named Tammy. She mentioned that she was heading to the food bank (the one close to my house that I've tried getting a hold of for 2 weeks :P), so I decided to go with her. Clay was great the whole bus ride and the whole way to the food bank. After I got registered I took him to the bathroom and he pooped in the sink :P Then I waited for my number to be called, and put Clay back in his sleepy wrap. He pretty much fell back asleep lol. I got all my food... It was A LOT. And the there were no volunteer drivers there today. So Tammy helped me lug all my stuff back to my house :P (it's like a 10 minute walk). My diaper bag was full of Clay's stuff, some canned food and a big jug of water, and I carried two heavy bags plus Clay in the wrap. Tammy carried the other two bags I had for me and pulled her cart full of food. I took my bags from her when we got to my house, and when I tried to stand back up from squatting I kinda collapsed cos of all the weight hahahaha!! I got inside and Clay had a HUGE poop and a nice long pee in the potty. Then he nursed for a little while, then he had another huge poop and pee like 10 minutes later lol. He's sleeping now. Everything is going well, and it's so satisfying for me to be aware of his cues enough for him not to have an accident and get me soaked while we were out and quite busy. I can't take all the credit though, if he had decided to go while I was waiting in line for my food, or walking home with all that food, I would've been very wet! Which is why I'm thinking while I have him in the wrap I may put a diaper on him next time, just in case!
So this evening so far Clay has had like 5 or more accidents on me! :S
He kept fussing and squirming while nursing, to me he very obviously had to go pee, so I would offer him the potty to which he responded with angry screams and tears! Then like 10 minutes later he would pee all over me! This happened like 5 times :P He's much calmer now, thankfully... I'm thinking maybe he's going through some sort of developmental milestone, with increased misses. Great timing Clay ;P lol!
Day Three
So Clay didn't go at all last night, until about 8:00am when he had an accident. I tried him on the potty a couple hours later and he had his "big go" of the morning. At one point he was doing the same thing that happened yesterday evening, where he refused the potty with gusto, but still complained and fussed. This time it was gas. A lot of gas! I just stopped nursing him since he kept popping on and off the breast anyway, and just laid my hand on his belly. He totally relaxed after a few minutes, and then let out a bunch of toots that were quite powerful lol :P
It seems like today was ALL misses!
Day Four
Last night I decided to start using diapers on Clay again lol. For one main reason: It seems that going completely diaper free can cause a lot more laundry if you have any misses (baby's pants get soaked, along with the multiple layers of blankets (and my pants) he sits on, instead of just the diaper getting wet and sparing his clothes (most of the time lol)).
So, we've been using diapers ever since last night, and we've been accomplishing the same ratio of misses and catches lol. Well, it was an illuminating experiment. I will still do diaper free time with him on a regular basis, but not permanently, at least not until we get better at the communication part of EC lol! Even as it is, I rarely change poopy diapers, which is a great feat in and of itself! :)
Day Five
So far I've just been going over exactly what's happened in my day doing EC, but today I'll go into my overall experience practicing it on a daily basis.
Like I said yesterday, we still have many pee misses, but on average I would say we have about a 60% success rate overall. Honestly, that's good enough for me! I'm certainly not implying I wouldn't want a higher "success" rate, but I'm quite happy with what we've accomplishes thus far. The communication between us has grown significantly, and I more fully understand his body language. I find myself gaining more confidence in my knowledge of when he needs to toot, or poop or pee, just as I know when he needs to burp, feed, be warm or just be held. Sometimes it takes me a little while to fully interpret what he really wants (in that time frame is when most of the misses take place), and sometimes he gets so upset that even if I hold him over the potty when he obviously has to go, he won't relax enough to actually do his business (resulting in a miss 5 minutes later, once his diaper is back on!). Sometimes it seems like he just wants to go in his diaper, which is fine, and through some research I've learned that perhaps this sort of thing happens because he's going through some significant developmental changes.
EC has become second nature to me, and it's just as much a part of our daily routine as occasionally changing diapers, feeding and doing laundry. Starting out it was a bit of a hassle (but the sensation of confusion means the brain is building connections! So I stuck with it, and it started to make more and more sense (I am still confused much of the time (but I guess that's inherent of being a mom or dad anyway!))
So, I'm here now. I may get better at understanding his needs, then I might find I all of the sudden have no idea what's going on. I think that's normal, and I think I'll just go with it :)
Day Six
Today Clay and I went to a Pagan Beltaine Festival that lasted all day, and it's impossible to know how many diapers he'll need for the day! Sometimes he only needs 2 or 3, but today he needed 7 or 8, and I only brought 5 cloth (luckily I brought a couple (lighter to carry) disposables, just in case). He peed in his diaper again and again and again lol, but I caught three poops in the bathroom :)
I was talking to a friend about a little girl she just saw at this festival today, and how she thought she recognized her from years ago at another weekend long gathering. She explained that this girl's mother trained her to be diaper free, and that she would make some sort of sound and she'd hold her over the ground, and she would go!! Amazing!
I smiled and exclaimed, "me too! Sure saves on diapers." :)
Later on I approached the little girl's mother and started up a conversation about it. She's the first person I've met that did EC with her child! We really clicked and her little girl is such a sweetheart :) She started EC at 4 months, and told me about how potty training was a breeze and happened much sooner than the average of 3 years (her daughter is 4 or 5 now). I'm happy to have finally met someone who knows what EC stands for!
Day Seven
Today I walked down to Eric's work at the end of his shift to walk with him home. It was GORGEOUS out! A whopping 13 degrees :) the warmest day yet this year. While I was waiting for him outside I took a fussy Clay out of the wrap and nursed him. I knew he had to go but didn't really wanna go to the bathroom with him, so I squatted him with his diaper still on and cued for him to go. He sure did! and no mess or strange looks in public lol!
Well I hope this little glimpse into my life doing EC has helped, in some small way (or some mind boggling life altering way! Hey, who knows...). I'm syked to have contributed to the growing community of knowledge on the web regarding this practice, and I hope that I inspired some, and at least raised awareness for others. Thanks for following everyone! And please stay tuned for more fascinating posts about poop, breast milk, and other enthralling topics! Aahh, motherhood. Am I right?
Here is a video of Clay cuing to go pee, me responding, plus the end result ;)
and don't worry, soon I will be replacing this video with one where the end result will be easier to see! :P For everyone who has been following, I invite you to please toss me some topic ideas of things you'd like me to cover in my future posts. This is for you! :) Cheers!
http://godiaperfree.com/go-diaper-free-week/
https://www.facebook.com/GoDiaperFree?fref=ts
Day One
I started last night, and through the night I let Clay sleep in an AIO (All In One) diaper without the insert (so pretty much just a pair of underwear) and some pants. I put a couple of thick blankets underneath him so that if he had an accident my bed wouldn't get soaked. He peed three times and pooped twice throughout the night, and he had one miss (a pee). Throughout the day I'm keeping him in a pair of shorts or baby undies.
I was pretty excited when I discovered this event was taking place, because I've been doing Elimination Communication with Clay since he was a couple weeks old, but I've still been using diapers (which is fine). I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take that next step towards being diaper free, for a couple of reasons. One, it kinda forces me to be more aware of his signals, because there's more on the line (like getting drenched with pee), two, I noticed that the cloth diapers kinda spread his hips/knees outwards (they are kinda poofy) and when he doesn't wear a diaper he has more room to move his legs around, and three, I LOVE feeling his cute little bum under his clothes instead of a big poofy diaper, his body is just to cute :)
So I'll keep you updated on our experience going a week with no diapers (this includes going out places! :P). We'll be using baby shorts and pants, tiny undies and the covers for the AIOs. Wish me luck! :D
Day Two
So last night went really well! No accidents, and he peed like three times. It's nice because he usually saves all his poop until morning lol :P
So, today I went out to a new parents group in my community which I've been going to for 4 weeks now. This time, there were actually other new moms there! :D Once I got there and sat down for a few minutes, I predicted it would probably be time for a potty break. I brought the inside of our toddler potty with me (which Clay uses all the time at home), so I took it out of my diaper bag and got him ready to go. I was sitting with the two new mums (T and V), and another friend I made with a 10 month old (K) and I whipped the potty out and got Clay to pee. I swear one of the best things about EC is the reactions I get from people! :D Everyone was asking me questions about it, and we had some really good conversations! T was really considering getting into cloth diapering (still on the fence), and V and I were already using them. Talking to us both I think inspired her to take the plunge! :) (yay!) Also all the mums there are fellow breast feeders, and the two new mums are baby-wearers! Squee! Like-minded people with babies Clay's age, finally! :D
Clay peed a few times at the family center (he had a couple of leaks on me too lol). He got weighed by the public health nurse (he's 13 pounds 11 ounces). At 12:00 I took him to the bathroom to clean out his potty and he peed in the toilet. Then we took off, to catch the bus.
I met a woman at the bus stop named Tammy. She mentioned that she was heading to the food bank (the one close to my house that I've tried getting a hold of for 2 weeks :P), so I decided to go with her. Clay was great the whole bus ride and the whole way to the food bank. After I got registered I took him to the bathroom and he pooped in the sink :P Then I waited for my number to be called, and put Clay back in his sleepy wrap. He pretty much fell back asleep lol. I got all my food... It was A LOT. And the there were no volunteer drivers there today. So Tammy helped me lug all my stuff back to my house :P (it's like a 10 minute walk). My diaper bag was full of Clay's stuff, some canned food and a big jug of water, and I carried two heavy bags plus Clay in the wrap. Tammy carried the other two bags I had for me and pulled her cart full of food. I took my bags from her when we got to my house, and when I tried to stand back up from squatting I kinda collapsed cos of all the weight hahahaha!! I got inside and Clay had a HUGE poop and a nice long pee in the potty. Then he nursed for a little while, then he had another huge poop and pee like 10 minutes later lol. He's sleeping now. Everything is going well, and it's so satisfying for me to be aware of his cues enough for him not to have an accident and get me soaked while we were out and quite busy. I can't take all the credit though, if he had decided to go while I was waiting in line for my food, or walking home with all that food, I would've been very wet! Which is why I'm thinking while I have him in the wrap I may put a diaper on him next time, just in case!
So this evening so far Clay has had like 5 or more accidents on me! :S
He kept fussing and squirming while nursing, to me he very obviously had to go pee, so I would offer him the potty to which he responded with angry screams and tears! Then like 10 minutes later he would pee all over me! This happened like 5 times :P He's much calmer now, thankfully... I'm thinking maybe he's going through some sort of developmental milestone, with increased misses. Great timing Clay ;P lol!
Day Three
So Clay didn't go at all last night, until about 8:00am when he had an accident. I tried him on the potty a couple hours later and he had his "big go" of the morning. At one point he was doing the same thing that happened yesterday evening, where he refused the potty with gusto, but still complained and fussed. This time it was gas. A lot of gas! I just stopped nursing him since he kept popping on and off the breast anyway, and just laid my hand on his belly. He totally relaxed after a few minutes, and then let out a bunch of toots that were quite powerful lol :P
It seems like today was ALL misses!
Day Four
Last night I decided to start using diapers on Clay again lol. For one main reason: It seems that going completely diaper free can cause a lot more laundry if you have any misses (baby's pants get soaked, along with the multiple layers of blankets (and my pants) he sits on, instead of just the diaper getting wet and sparing his clothes (most of the time lol)).
So, we've been using diapers ever since last night, and we've been accomplishing the same ratio of misses and catches lol. Well, it was an illuminating experiment. I will still do diaper free time with him on a regular basis, but not permanently, at least not until we get better at the communication part of EC lol! Even as it is, I rarely change poopy diapers, which is a great feat in and of itself! :)
Day Five
So far I've just been going over exactly what's happened in my day doing EC, but today I'll go into my overall experience practicing it on a daily basis.
Like I said yesterday, we still have many pee misses, but on average I would say we have about a 60% success rate overall. Honestly, that's good enough for me! I'm certainly not implying I wouldn't want a higher "success" rate, but I'm quite happy with what we've accomplishes thus far. The communication between us has grown significantly, and I more fully understand his body language. I find myself gaining more confidence in my knowledge of when he needs to toot, or poop or pee, just as I know when he needs to burp, feed, be warm or just be held. Sometimes it takes me a little while to fully interpret what he really wants (in that time frame is when most of the misses take place), and sometimes he gets so upset that even if I hold him over the potty when he obviously has to go, he won't relax enough to actually do his business (resulting in a miss 5 minutes later, once his diaper is back on!). Sometimes it seems like he just wants to go in his diaper, which is fine, and through some research I've learned that perhaps this sort of thing happens because he's going through some significant developmental changes.
EC has become second nature to me, and it's just as much a part of our daily routine as occasionally changing diapers, feeding and doing laundry. Starting out it was a bit of a hassle (but the sensation of confusion means the brain is building connections! So I stuck with it, and it started to make more and more sense (I am still confused much of the time (but I guess that's inherent of being a mom or dad anyway!))
So, I'm here now. I may get better at understanding his needs, then I might find I all of the sudden have no idea what's going on. I think that's normal, and I think I'll just go with it :)
Day Six
Today Clay and I went to a Pagan Beltaine Festival that lasted all day, and it's impossible to know how many diapers he'll need for the day! Sometimes he only needs 2 or 3, but today he needed 7 or 8, and I only brought 5 cloth (luckily I brought a couple (lighter to carry) disposables, just in case). He peed in his diaper again and again and again lol, but I caught three poops in the bathroom :)
I was talking to a friend about a little girl she just saw at this festival today, and how she thought she recognized her from years ago at another weekend long gathering. She explained that this girl's mother trained her to be diaper free, and that she would make some sort of sound and she'd hold her over the ground, and she would go!! Amazing!
I smiled and exclaimed, "me too! Sure saves on diapers." :)
Later on I approached the little girl's mother and started up a conversation about it. She's the first person I've met that did EC with her child! We really clicked and her little girl is such a sweetheart :) She started EC at 4 months, and told me about how potty training was a breeze and happened much sooner than the average of 3 years (her daughter is 4 or 5 now). I'm happy to have finally met someone who knows what EC stands for!
Day Seven
Today I walked down to Eric's work at the end of his shift to walk with him home. It was GORGEOUS out! A whopping 13 degrees :) the warmest day yet this year. While I was waiting for him outside I took a fussy Clay out of the wrap and nursed him. I knew he had to go but didn't really wanna go to the bathroom with him, so I squatted him with his diaper still on and cued for him to go. He sure did! and no mess or strange looks in public lol!
Well I hope this little glimpse into my life doing EC has helped, in some small way (or some mind boggling life altering way! Hey, who knows...). I'm syked to have contributed to the growing community of knowledge on the web regarding this practice, and I hope that I inspired some, and at least raised awareness for others. Thanks for following everyone! And please stay tuned for more fascinating posts about poop, breast milk, and other enthralling topics! Aahh, motherhood. Am I right?
Here is a video of Clay cuing to go pee, me responding, plus the end result ;)
and don't worry, soon I will be replacing this video with one where the end result will be easier to see! :P For everyone who has been following, I invite you to please toss me some topic ideas of things you'd like me to cover in my future posts. This is for you! :) Cheers!
The Great Cloth Diaper Change
So this was an event I attended that was held on the 20th of April, to break the world record for the most cloth diapers changed at 11:00am around the world. It was a fairly short event but it felt really god to be among that many fellow baby wearers and cloth diaperers! :) Here's the site for more info: http://greatclothdiaperchange.com/
And here are a few pics :)
And here are a few pics :)
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| On our way there (it was miserable out!) |
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| Attending a baby sign language workshop |
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| Getting ready... |
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| Hold your diapers up! |
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| All done :) |
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| Tired after a long day (on the way home) |
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| Mum you're hilarious! xD |
My Hot Yoga Outing!
So I had an AWESOME time at hot yoga on the 19th. Surprisingly, I was able to do most of the practice, and it was Intense! I think I should have had more water though... :P
I had to leave in a hurry unfortunately... I was nursing Clay and the next thing I know, my bus is coming in 3 minutes!! So I quickly but him down on the couch as gracefully as I could manage in a hurry, said my good byes and I love yous and left.
The bus ride was weird, to say the least. I couldn't keep my mind off Clay for the first little bit, but the further away I got from him it seemed the less my mind lingered on him. I kept forgetting that without Clay with me, people had no idea I was a mom... then I realized I really like the attention I get for that fact lol :P I found myself not so opposed to everyone in yoga class seeing my tiger stripes (stretch marks lol) because then they would know who I am. Kinda silly, I know that :P
There was a young couple on the bus, and from what I eavesdropped, they were expecting a baby. I heard talk of morning sickness and other things of the sort. It was interesting... they had no idea I had just gone through what she's going through now.
I got to yoga and met with my mom. We got changed, and I was very aware of people glancing at my post-preggo belly. I liked the recognition (again, yes I know, a bit egocentric :P). Periodically throughout class I found myself thinking of Clay... I found it challenging to quiet my mind at times... I kept thinking, I want to do this every week (which I'm hoping will happen soon)!
I felt so light and loose afterwards... :) It was awesome. I got home, half expecting to immediately nurse Clay... but when I walked in the door all was quiet, and this is what I saw...
I'm so proud of my partner. And the words I heard from his mouth soon after I got home; (sweet music to my ears...) "You're job is hard..."
I had to leave in a hurry unfortunately... I was nursing Clay and the next thing I know, my bus is coming in 3 minutes!! So I quickly but him down on the couch as gracefully as I could manage in a hurry, said my good byes and I love yous and left.
The bus ride was weird, to say the least. I couldn't keep my mind off Clay for the first little bit, but the further away I got from him it seemed the less my mind lingered on him. I kept forgetting that without Clay with me, people had no idea I was a mom... then I realized I really like the attention I get for that fact lol :P I found myself not so opposed to everyone in yoga class seeing my tiger stripes (stretch marks lol) because then they would know who I am. Kinda silly, I know that :P
There was a young couple on the bus, and from what I eavesdropped, they were expecting a baby. I heard talk of morning sickness and other things of the sort. It was interesting... they had no idea I had just gone through what she's going through now.
I got to yoga and met with my mom. We got changed, and I was very aware of people glancing at my post-preggo belly. I liked the recognition (again, yes I know, a bit egocentric :P). Periodically throughout class I found myself thinking of Clay... I found it challenging to quiet my mind at times... I kept thinking, I want to do this every week (which I'm hoping will happen soon)!
I felt so light and loose afterwards... :) It was awesome. I got home, half expecting to immediately nurse Clay... but when I walked in the door all was quiet, and this is what I saw...
I'm so proud of my partner. And the words I heard from his mouth soon after I got home; (sweet music to my ears...) "You're job is hard..."
Sunday, 14 April 2013
D-MER (dysphoric milk ejection reflex)
So I just discovered the name of this gross feeling I've been experiencing during breastfeeding, or rather during my let down. It's called Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex. When my milk lets down while I'm nursing or at other times during the day, I get this really nasty feeling... utter self disgust... all my thoughts feel tremendously low and negative all the sudden, and I just feel revolting. Apparently this is a fairly newly discovered syndrome, and people are still trying to figure out exactly what causes it and what helps... It's been shown that a sudden drop in dopamine has something to do with it, but they still don't know why it happens. It isn't PPD, although I thought it could be. I feel fantastic and very level headed all the time, except when my milk lets down... D-MER is very different than PPD, so my research has shown me. It usually disappears as suddenly as it comes on...
I've experienced an almost identical feeling to D-MER before I even got pregnant. When engaged in any sexual activity, unless I was feeling 100% confident and unashamed of my body, I would have to suppress that feeling of filth and shame in order to not shut down and stop in my tracks. It had nothing to do with the person, because it happened with everyone I've ever been with, including myself... I believe it may have originated from my past beliefs that it was a sin to be sexual, before marriage anyway. When I first discovered my sexuality, I kept telling myself it was shameful and wrong, and yet I kept exploring it. Eventually I ditched the belief that I was a sinner because of my human sexual urges, but apparently part of me still clings to it, as I Still feel that way many years later, from time to time.
Those of you who know what I'm talking about I'm sure, Really know what I'm talking about. It can pull you Right down into the pit of your stomach and smother you. It's a challenge sometimes to not let it overtake you. Breastfeeding isn't always warm fuzzy feelings and cozy bonding time, in fact, it's usually pretty normal and sometimes a little boring. I know it may sound to those of you who've never breastfed that I'm putting a downer on the whole experience, when I should instead be advocating the good things, so that people don't get scared away, or get the "wrong" idea. The truth is, breastfeeding can be a rather uncomfortable and even painful affair at times, but I'm 100% sure that if I gave it up now and switched to formula, I would deeply regret abandoning the miracle milk that my body so readily provides. I don't know what formula feeding is like, so I can't really say anything one way or another about the emotional or physical experience, but I can say that I would deeply miss putting my sweet baby to the breast for physical, psychological and spiritual nourishment. As every day and normal as it is to me now, I'm certain in a few years I'll look back on this time with warm feelings and longing, despite some yucky feelings along the way (which motherhood is full of btw, it's impossible to avoid! ;D).
I try to make sure that during a few feedings each day I really connect with my baby and acknowledge the beauty of breastfeeding, because it is precious. I try to look my bad feelings in the eye and stand my ground, to see them for what they are... thoughts. And I know I am not my thoughts, I just have them, and that's okay. I don't know where they come from, and maybe I never will. It may just be one of those things that I will have to embrace and push through, just like all of life's challenges. I'm sure that this too shall pass. It doesn't for one second make me reconsider my choice to breastfeed, but even if it did which it probably does for some people, that's OK. Talk about it, write about it, get some support, whatever that looks like for you.
I hope more research is published on this subject and how to prevent it, but for now I'll just stay calm and stay hydrated (for some reason whenever I experience D-MER I crave water, lots of it!). Reading books on the practice of Zen seems to help most of the time :) If you're experiencing this too I wish you the best of luck and I implore you to comment and share your story, plus any information you have about it. I believe it's more common than people think and it's a good thing to know you are not alone.
I've experienced an almost identical feeling to D-MER before I even got pregnant. When engaged in any sexual activity, unless I was feeling 100% confident and unashamed of my body, I would have to suppress that feeling of filth and shame in order to not shut down and stop in my tracks. It had nothing to do with the person, because it happened with everyone I've ever been with, including myself... I believe it may have originated from my past beliefs that it was a sin to be sexual, before marriage anyway. When I first discovered my sexuality, I kept telling myself it was shameful and wrong, and yet I kept exploring it. Eventually I ditched the belief that I was a sinner because of my human sexual urges, but apparently part of me still clings to it, as I Still feel that way many years later, from time to time.
Those of you who know what I'm talking about I'm sure, Really know what I'm talking about. It can pull you Right down into the pit of your stomach and smother you. It's a challenge sometimes to not let it overtake you. Breastfeeding isn't always warm fuzzy feelings and cozy bonding time, in fact, it's usually pretty normal and sometimes a little boring. I know it may sound to those of you who've never breastfed that I'm putting a downer on the whole experience, when I should instead be advocating the good things, so that people don't get scared away, or get the "wrong" idea. The truth is, breastfeeding can be a rather uncomfortable and even painful affair at times, but I'm 100% sure that if I gave it up now and switched to formula, I would deeply regret abandoning the miracle milk that my body so readily provides. I don't know what formula feeding is like, so I can't really say anything one way or another about the emotional or physical experience, but I can say that I would deeply miss putting my sweet baby to the breast for physical, psychological and spiritual nourishment. As every day and normal as it is to me now, I'm certain in a few years I'll look back on this time with warm feelings and longing, despite some yucky feelings along the way (which motherhood is full of btw, it's impossible to avoid! ;D).
I try to make sure that during a few feedings each day I really connect with my baby and acknowledge the beauty of breastfeeding, because it is precious. I try to look my bad feelings in the eye and stand my ground, to see them for what they are... thoughts. And I know I am not my thoughts, I just have them, and that's okay. I don't know where they come from, and maybe I never will. It may just be one of those things that I will have to embrace and push through, just like all of life's challenges. I'm sure that this too shall pass. It doesn't for one second make me reconsider my choice to breastfeed, but even if it did which it probably does for some people, that's OK. Talk about it, write about it, get some support, whatever that looks like for you.
I hope more research is published on this subject and how to prevent it, but for now I'll just stay calm and stay hydrated (for some reason whenever I experience D-MER I crave water, lots of it!). Reading books on the practice of Zen seems to help most of the time :) If you're experiencing this too I wish you the best of luck and I implore you to comment and share your story, plus any information you have about it. I believe it's more common than people think and it's a good thing to know you are not alone.
Thursday, 11 April 2013
Some of the Cutest Pictures of Clay to Date
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| Only a day old :') |
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| Hi mum... |
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| First time in the sleepy wrap! |
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| Smiling in his sleep! (only a few days old) |
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| Wide eyes! |
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| Sleeepy |
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| Such a tiny head!! |
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| Jealous? |
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| Booby! |
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| I love the shape of his mouth in this pic! xD |
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| Bath time smiles with daddy :D |
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| hehehe... |
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| Oh... It snowed... Again :/ |
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| Bright eyes! |
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| Hello, Mr. Moosey |
Here's to Beautiful Baby Boys! <3 :)
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