Sick Day

Poor Ms. Foo, she has a fever! We'll talk about it soon, I have to attend to her right now.

When to ditch the bobo

I read somewhere that the best time to take a pacifier away from your baby is between 7 and 9 months because babies will not remember it, whereas an older child will and will ask and cry for it. I decided to try this for myself. I took her pacifier away at about 7 1/2 months and this is what I found.
The first night, after she fell asleep and I stopped breast feeding, she looked for it in her sleep so I continued breast feeding until she let go on her own.
After a night or two, she stopped looking for the pacifier, but she would not let go of the breast for a really long time. And I mean WOULD NOT let go.
This continued for about 3 weeks. Now, she is almost 9 months old and it's like the pacifier never was. I did have to go through a short time of breast feeding for a longer time than I was used to after she fell asleep, but there was no crying and the amount of times she wakes up at night has not changed.
So, it worked for me. One word of advice. THROW THE PACIFIER AWAY. Why? Because you'll miss your cute baby who sucked on a pacifier and that first night, she may look so sweet looking for it in her sleep, you may break and give it back.
Good Luck!

Some days are like that

Sometimes, my neighbor says, when she opens her eyes in the morning, they fill with tears. She has to get up to ready her four year old for the pre-school bus and care for her brand new three month old baby. Big deal, right? She's not alone, she's not poor, (well, some on Park Ave. may think so, but we do all right.) She has two beautiful kids and a husband who loves her and helps out. So, what's the problem? Why the tears?
I don't know the answer. What I do know, is that when she told me this, I knew exactly how she felt. Some days are like that and I thought I was the only one, that something was wrong with me. I don't understand it. I think that sometimes you just feel lost. From the moment you get up you are worrying about other people. For every second, even while you are peeing. And most of the time, this is cool. I like to feel needed, I love to know that my daughter wants to be with me, and that my husband still finds me sexy. But there is no retreat. No time in a room all by myself when no one even notices I am missing. No wandering a book store alone or taking a nap in the afternoon.
We have tried to find solutions for this. But, a lot of times, the only way my husband can help me is with me talking him through it. I try to have some alone time while my husband watches the baby but he more often than not comes to find me because he "doesn't know what's wrong with her". It lasts about five minutes. It's like being in the spotlight for twenty four hours a day. Sometimes I just want to retreat into the wings.
But no one else knows the part except me.
Of course, things do not have to be like this. I could go to work and hire a day care or a nanny. I could use the Ferber method on my daughter and let her cry while I relax in another room. I have made my choices about my life and this is why things are this way. I am not a victim, at all. Many days I am proud, productive and happy. But some days are like that. Some days I just feel like I barely have enough. It seems like I can't collect energy in the spotlight. I need to retreat, to gather up what I need to give it my all. I'm still struggling with how to do this, though. It's all right, this is all still fairly new.
The magazines talk about hiring a baby-sitter while you take a long, luxurious bath or taking a yoga class. Obviously, this doesn't work for everyone. And, I don't have any tips right now on how to keep your sanity. It's different fore every one's situation. All I can say is that, I sometimes feel like crying too and not to feel bad. Just cry. Maybe after you do, you'll find some clarity.

She will bite you

Yes she will. If you think it's bad when her bottom teeth come in, just wait until she gets her top teeth. You will really and truly think that she bit your nipple off. If it is dark and your milk has already let down, you will think you are bleeding everywhere. You want to let her latch on again but you keep pulling back, anticipating another chomp down.

Go ahead and yell, you will really want to and will alert your baby that something is wrong.

There are a lot of methods to remedy a nipple biting baby. One I've heard of is putting the hungry baby on the floor and letting her cry for ten minutes so she realizes the biting caused the leaving on the floor. However, I am not a big fan of letting kids "cry it out". Personally, I don't think a baby can make the connection after being left on the floor for ten minutes. They will just be upset and will have completely forgotten the biting.

I've noticed that when I yell, Ms. Foo looks up at me really surprised and she doesn't do it again that feeding. Every baby is different, but I have also seen that she only bites me when she is done feeding and just playing around or when I try to feed her when she is not hungry. So I try to make sure she is really hungry by putting her to my breast while it is still covered and seeing if she tries to find it with a lot of enthusiasm or just with mild interest.

She still bites me sometimes, but I believe it's getting better.
Bye!

Twirly Things

So, the funny thing is, that you buy your baby all kinds of cool toys that spin and flash and sing songs and count to ten in English and Spanish. But you set them in front of her and she goes for the keys or your cell phone or the remote control. Why is this? You can't let her play with these things! Keys are dirty, cell phones will get ruined by slobber, remote controls have some weird silver paint on them. But she doesn't want her toys! Help!
Well, never fear. Why do you think she wants the stuff you have instead of the cool stuff you got for her?
Because! She is watching you and sees that you are supremely interested in your cell phone and that the remote control is always in your hand. These things are obviously interesting to you and she wants to do what you are doing because she wants to learn from you. She imitates what you do in facial expressions and sounds, so why not when it comes to play things?
So.
Pick up her plastic twirly thing and turn it over in your hands. Tap it. Look at it and furrow your brow. In short, act like you are really interested in it. Play with it. After a while, you know what will happen? Your baby will grab it out of your hand and stick it in her mouth. Ha ha! Try it, it works!

The Heimlich

An interview with Tina Garcia, an activities director for Share Your Care in Albuquerque, NM which is a center for adults with mental disabilities. She is certified in CPR in both infants and adults.

M: Hello, Tina, how are you this morning?

T: I'm well, thank you.

M: You tell me you are certified to give CPR to infants.

T: Yes, that is true

M: Can you also help a baby who may be choking?

T: Yes. The thing to remember when thinking of performing the Heimlech Menuvar on an infant, is to make sure that they really do need it. Watch them very closeley. If they are coughing, this means that they can still breath and their body will most likely be able to take care of it.

M: What if they are not coughing?

T: If you see they are choking and are not coughing or making any noise you should perform the procedure on them.

M: Would you share this procedure with us?

T: I would be happy to. The first thing you must do is lay them face down across you r forearm, supporting their chest and abdomen, making sure the head is lower than the chest.
Next, you must pound them fairly hard on the back five times between the shoulder blades.
Flip the baby over and take two fingers in the middle of their chest, right below the nipple line, and press in five hard, quick jabs. Your baby may be sore for a day or two, but it will most likely be worth it.
Now turn the baby over again and look for the object in their mouth. If it is there, remove it and continue with rescue breaths. If you can not see it, repeat the Heimlich.

M: What are rescue breaths?

T: You should place your hand on the baby's forehead and push gently so the chin tilts up a bit. Then cover the baby's mouth and nose with your mouth and breath in. But you do not have to breath forcefully. You should breath as normally as you do for yourself. Do so until the chest rises. Then uncover the mouth and nose, breath in for yourself, wait for the baby's chest to fall and repeat.

M: What if these procedures fail to remove the object or get the baby to breath again?

T: Then, you should call 911 and continue the procedures until help arrives.

M: This was very helpful Ms. Garcia, thank you very much.

T: It was my pleasure!

Remember everyone, we are not doctors. Ms. Garcia is certified but you should always speak to a medical professional before making any decisions regarding your health or the health of your child.

When should I start?

Just watch them closely to make sure they are not gonna choke. That's what I have to say.

At around 5 months, start with one plain puree. Squash, carrot, sweet potato, peas, green beans. But only one at a time for about a week at a time. Sometimes the strong flavor tastes sour to a baby, so if your baby seems to not like the veggie, mix it with some baby cereal to bland it out a bit.

Next, try mixing some veggies.

If you want to give a quick snack and don't have to time to boil and puree, peel only half of the peel away from a banana so the other half makes a little dish for you. Take a baby spoon and scrape the banana with it. What accumulates on the spoon is soft enough for your baby to eat.

When she has gotten used to eating purees, you can scrape fresh apple and pear as well.

Next, at about 7 months, you can start throwing boiled chicken and pasta into the blender with the veggies.

At eight months, try just mashing up beans and squash or boiled carrots.

If you feel your baby is ready, give her a piece of toasted bread to munch on. You can also try to give her rice. BUT!!! Watch her closely to make sure she will not choke.
Let her try shredded chicken or turkey with a little sauce.

THINGS THEY SAY YOU SHOULD NOT GIVE YOUR BABY UNTIL ONE YEAR OF AGE:
1. Peanut Butter
2. Tomatoes
3. Egg
4. At two years of age: Seafood
5. Red Meats and Pork

I have given my daughter tomato sauce and egg and she has been fine, but doctors recommend to wait until a year has passed.

Remember! I am not a doctor! This is all based on MY experience with MY baby who is now eight and a half months old.

Tomorrow, an interview with Tina Garcia who is certified in CPR and will explain how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on your baby, if the need should ever arise.

A Few New Things, don't get too excited

At eight and a half months old, Ms. Foo is doing all kinds of fun and funny stuff. She imitates her auntie who rests her head on her bent arm while lying on the couch, only Ms. Foo puts her fist to the side of her head then falls over.
She also plays a game with her grandma where she leans way over to one side then back up again over and over. It gets her grandma dizzy.
While she was playing on the floor, I said to her, "Who's outside?" and she started excitedly looking outside. These are major comprehensions for her!
She says Mama and looks at her dad when I say Papa. She can walk forward in her walker when she feels like it and she sits in front of the parrot's cage and speaks to him in a loud voice.
I love her, she is so cool.

Snakes and Grapes: my dilemma

Kenny, my brother in law, took Ms. Foo, my daughter, out for a walk. They saw bees pollinating flowers. They saw some barking dogs behind a fence. They saw different plants like desert sage and lavender, Spanish broom and cactus. A catafa tree, a hummingbird.
Meanwhile, I am inside with my aunt and sisters. My aunt is telling a horrifyingly funny story about her husband. He picked a bushel of Snake Weed from their yard and boiled a big pot of Snake Weed tea to cure his sinuses because, she says, Snake Weed is a diuretic. Her husband drinks some and he feels a little better, so he says to himself
"If a little does a little good, then a lot ought do a lot of good!" and he drinks the entire large pot of Snake Weed tea which proceeds to dry him up like a dried up old fool. My aunt bulges her eyes and sucks in her cheeks, drawing her shoulders up and her arms in as she imitates him coughing and gagging and completely dehydrated. Ha Ha. We laughed.
Just then, Kenny comes back in from his walk with Ms. Foo. She is clutching a spray of orange flowers and chewing.
"What is she chewing?" I ask. Kenny looks down,
"I think its this flower" he says
"Oh!" says my aunt, "That's the plant I was talking about. That's Snake Weed."

WHAT!!!!! How long has she been chewing? How much did she chew? Is she gonna dry up? Should we go to the emergency room? Give her water! Give her more! Oh my god! Ms. Foo, are you all right? Kenny, I'm never leaving you alone with her again!!!!

Then my sister says,
"Oh, that' ok, when I was with her the other morning, she ate some powder off a morning glory."
And my mother says,
"Yesterday, I was showing her the grape vine and all of a sudden I look at her and she has a little lump in her cheek! She's so fast, she just popped it in her mouth without me noticing!"

I'm never letting anyone take her on walks again. I'm going to put her an a plastic cage and never let her out of the house. I'm going to wrap her in gauze and tape her mouth shut.

Sounds ridiculous, right? But don't tell me, mama's, that you haven't sometimes felt like going to some extreme. How am I suppossed to protect her and let her go at the same time? I know kids eat weird stuff all the time. My husband ate chicken poo when he was two. My grandfather ate a glass bottle when he was nine months old. My little sister ate chalk.
I'm just afraid. I know we all watch her and love her and don't want anything bad to happen to her, but I am afraid. Do I just stop? Stop being afraid and hope for the best? What did you do?

A few minutes later she pooped. She hadn't pooped in two days. She ate the Snake Weed and there it was. Serendipitous if I do say so myself.
Sigh