It finally happened. At exactly 20 months old Jia got her first bout of illness. Last Friday morning started off with a low grade fever of 100.4 F (and it has never been higher than this in the past), but with a normal demeanor, still smiling and playful. Props to Daddy for noticing she felt extra warm when he got her up in the morning to change her diaper and dress her and for taking her temperature. Continue reading “What’s She Doing Wednesday: Sicky Sprout” »
I’ve been wanting to write about this topic for a while now, but another topic seemed to always win out for the week. I remember hearing speculation that frequent pacifier use was linked to the common middle ear infection, otitis media, but I don’t remember where I heard it, if the source was credible, or if it was just a myth; an old wives’ tale. Every time we went to the pediatrician’s office after breastfeeding was well-established, (and we went a lot in the first 6 months, due to Jia’s soy and milk protein intolerance, see My Little Non-Soy Non-Dairy Sprout) Jia had a pacifier hanging from her mouth. Usually it was one of many Wubbanubb animals (pictured). But, they never warned us about a possible otitis media infection if she continued to use a pacifier. So I guess the speculation took a back seat in my mind, especially since in her 20 months, Jia hasn’t even come down with a common cold, let alone a painful and uncomfortable middle ear infection.
Since there is a lot of information in here, this will be Part 1: Otitis Media & Pacifier Use. We’ll get to the research in Part 2:
So here we go… Continue reading “Otitis Media & Pacifier Use: Is There a Link? The Info (Part 1)” »
So my topic choice for this week was pretty much decided by mulling over which would be the simplest topic to tackle. It’s pretty straight forward, kind of like my last research post on listeria (see: Listeria Mysteria and Pregnancy).
Honey and infants. I feel like it’s pretty common knowledge that when it comes to infant feeding, though recommendations regarding allergies have shifted over the years from avoiding to now encouraging foods like peanut butter, eggs, citrus, etc., the warning to not feed honey babies under 1 year old has remained consistent. Studying nutrition/dietetics in college, the “no honey for infants” rule was a black and white issue – no honey for infants! Plain and simple. Oh, you wanna give your baby something with honey? Nope, you just don’t do it. Continue reading “Oh Honey! About Infant Botulism” »
Funny term, “Morning Sickness.” As if it really only ever happens in the mornings. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Pretty much every piece of literature that I’ve read out there warns women that “Morning Sickness” (aka NVP; Nausea and Vomiting during Pregnancy) peaks somewhere in the first trimester (around week 8-10) and usually ends around the 3rd to 5th month of pregnancy (only about half of women with NVP feel relief by the end of the 3rd month, actually. Ninety-percent of women finally felt relief by 22 weeks’ pregnancy!) <— that was me, no relief until week 21!
If you never got morning sickness, consider yourself really lucky. (Kinda like those women who lost the baby weight quickly. It’s probably best not to brag about these enviable details 😆 ). About 75-80% of pregnant women experience morning sickness in some way, shape, or form.
So here are some things to know: Continue reading “Baby, You Makin Me Sick ~ All About Morning Sickness” »
OB/GYN – “So now that you’re pregnant, you should stay away from alcohol, illicit drugs, caffeine, swordfish or tilefish, raw fish sushi, cigarettes, deli meats and soft cheeses… gain 25-35 lbs throughout your last two trimesters, try to eat healthy, exercise regularly, take a folic acid supplement, also a DHA/Fish oil supplement, a prenatal vitamin, ….”
Newly Pregnant Woman – “Sure, yeah, ok, got it”
Somewhere along that whole spiel of overwhelming information, the deli meats and soft cheeses point may have been lost. Sound familiar?
I mentioned in this week’s WSDW post that I was considering writing about listeria poisoning (& its relevancy with pregnancy precautions) because of a family friend who recently died of listeria poisoning. If you want to read about it, the FDA recall of his suspected exposures is described here. It’s been an extremely awful and painfully devastating experience that this family has been through. And who would’ve even guessed that it could come from a popular ice cream distributor that sells to nursing homes, hospitals, and schools? It’s absolutely frightening. Mom and Dad, this post is dedicated to you.
So let’s talk listeria. Continue reading “Listeria “Mysteria” & Pregnancy” »
Sheesh. I’m pooped. After moderating the comments from my last post and my Facebook Page, I think I’m taking a break on intense controversial topics! I had no idea that the topic of circumcision was going to ignite such a fierce and aggressive crowd, I went into it thinking I was writing a lighthearted informative post. The positive is that it resulted in higher traffic to the blog, but geez, I’m mentally worn out. Next topic will be my look into VBAC’s (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean).
I was considering writing about Placentophagy (the practice of eating the placenta after delivery, for the claims of aiding in postpartum healing, mood, and energy levels), but realizing that that too, is a controversial topic for me to deal with right now, I will save that for another (much later) time.
So right now we are less than 2 weeks away from the big move. I’m stressed. Like really stressed. There’s no way around it. Jeff thinks I shouldn’t be stressed but I think he’s not being realistic. He got mad at me earlier in this process saying that we shouldn’t be moving if I’m going to be stressed out about it. HA! I mean, what move ISN’T stressful? Our in-town move last year, 20 miles from our condo with a 5 month old was stressful! How would a 3000+ mile move cross country manage to be not stressful? Men. They always find a way to be so casual about things. Grrrrr, hate that! haha…
Continue reading “What’s She Doing Wednesday: Knocked Over” »
Disclaimer: in light of the unexpected and intense public response, I want to clarify that I am not an expert on the subject of circumcision, and this post is not intended to cover every aspect (FGM, sexual functions of the foreskin, psychological impacts on circumcised vs intact males, etc) of such a complex issue. This post is focused strictly on the medical perspective. I’m happy to be learning a great deal about the social, political, cultural and ethical aspects, from anyone and everyone who can share their thoughts respectfully. I do, however, intend to maintain this site as a safe place for my readers. If you’d like to post graphic photos or use disrespectful language, feel free to create your own site. Anyone violating this community standard will be deleted and permanently blocked.