So Gracie and I went to the cinema. Aside from the Parent and Baby screenings that we went to when I was on maternity leave, we've been to the cinema three times now. That's not many times, I grant you, but Gracie tends not to be the sort of toddler that sits still when required.
Our first visit was rather something: a premiere screening of The Croods. Not bad for a first cinematic experience. The only problem with this of course was that, on our second visit, not only did Gracie expect her friend Lily to be there to meet her, she also expected face painting and free snacks...
That aside, the second visit was fine. Because it was Toddler Time, it was £3 for Gracie's ticket. As the accompanying adult, I go free. The film was half an hour long, perfect for her attention span - well, it would have been had they not started the film about 10 minutes early, but you can't win 'em all...
Which brings us to our third, and most recent, visit. A very reasonable £1.75 a ticket meant that I didn't object to paying £3.25 for popcorn, biscuits and a drink for Gracie. To be fair, the cinema did also throw in a couple of free white chocolate buttons. Well, I say "throw in" - Gracie actually just helped herself, and asking her to put them back isn't very hygienic. The film was an hour and a half, so Gracie did well. After three trips though, I can see that she still has a lot to learn about cinema-going:
1. Just because a trailer is more than 30 seconds long, this does not make it a film in its own right.
2. A quiet bit does not necessarily mean that it is the end of the film, especially when you're only a couple of minutes in.
3. Boring bits aren't more interesting if you watch them upside down.
4. Not every film would be improved by the presence of Tinkerbell.
5. Just because a female character is dressed in purple, it doesn't automatically follow that her name is Rapunzel.
I don't know, maybe I'm expecting too much. I guess I'm just going to have to keep on taking her...
Saturday, 13 April 2013
Friday, 14 January 2011
UNICEF's response to the nonsense article posted in the BMJ
Dearie me, what a lot of fuss there's been over a particular article in the BMJ, telling us all to wean earlier....Blimey. Below is a reasonable response to the nonsense, from UNICEF no less....
UNICEF UK response to media reports questioning the recommendation to introduce solid food to babies at 6 months
An article published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) is being reported in the media as questioning whether exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is appropriate for UK babies (1). This article is not based on new evidence but rather a re-analysis of older evidence, much of which is the same as that used as the basis for weaning recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UK’s Departments of Health (DH) (2,3)
When considering this analysis it should be noted that three of the four authors have declared an association with the baby feeding industry. Less breastfeeding and earlier introduction of solid food will lead to greater profit for this industry.
There is a wealth of robust evidence that breastfeeding saves lives and protects both the short and long term health of mothers and babies in industrialised countries. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of infections, as well as the risk of diabetes and obesity in children and breast cancer in mothers. It is also associated with improved parenting capability among low-income women, and with reduced incidence of neglect and postnatal depression, thereby improving the life chances of children(4 5 6 7).
WHO recommended the introduction of solid food at around 6 months alongside continued breastfeeding in 2001. This was based on evidence that the early introduction of solid food to babies increased the risk of infection and disease. In 2003, DH also began to recommend introducing solids at ‘around 6 months’, changing from its previous position of ‘at 4-6 months’. The authors of the BMJ article question this recommendation for UK babies. The basis of their arguments is that delaying introducing solid food may increase the risk of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), coeliac disease and food allergies, and that introducing new tastes may increase acceptance of green leafy vegetables and so encourage healthy eating later in life.
Iron deficiency anaemia
IDA is strongly influenced by iron stores at birth (which is related to the mother’s iron status and length of gestation) and early cord cutting (which is still common and can reduce iron stores by up to 33%). IDA is also associated with poverty and deprivation. Ensuring that the mother is not anaemic and that cord cutting is delayed will in turn ensure that the baby’s own body stores and breastmilk will provide sufficient iron for over 6 months (8).
The majority of the food commonly introduced to babies in the early months such as cereal, fruit and vegetables are low in iron and will therefore not help prevent IDA. However, if they are introduced before a baby needs them, they will displace breastmilk from the baby’s diet and may thereby reduce the amount of iron consumed(9).
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease is associated with the early introduction of gluten (from cereals). There have been a number of observational studies which have suggested that the exact timing of the introduction of gluten into the diet may influence the development of this disease. The Government’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition and Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Foods, Consumer Products and the Environment have been asked to analyse the evidence on this issue and its draft statement can be found at: www.sacn.gov.uk/meetings/sub_groups/maternal_child_nutrition/19012011.html
This statement concludes:
Currently available evidence on the timing of introduction of gluten into the infant diet and subsequent risk of coeliac disease and T1DM is insufficient to support recommendations about the appropriate timing of introduction of gluten into the infant diet for either the general population or high-risk sub-populations. However, there is evidence suggesting that not being breastfed at the time when gluten is introduced into the diet is associated with an increased risk of subsequently developing coeliac disease.
Food allergies
The incidence of genuine food allergy (as opposed to food intolerance) is rare (10). There is speculation and some observational data that when there is a family history of true allergy then early introduction of certain foods may be beneficial. Random control trials are now being undertaken to test this theory. Should this prove to be the case (which is by no means certain) then high risk families would need to be advised on a case-by-case basis. This would not affect public policy as applied to the majority of children not affected by allergies.
Introducing bitter tastes
The BMJ paper claims that introducing bitter tastes early will increase the acceptance of green leafy vegetables and so prevent obesity later in life. This is purely speculative.
Breastmilk changes flavour depending on the mother’s diet and so exposes the baby to various tastes from birth onwards. Food preference is also dependant on a number of factors including what is given, how it is given and parental attitude. Current DH recommendations take account of these factors and encourage parents to introduce a range of healthy foods in an appropriate manner (11).
Recommendations
The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative supports continued research into improving infant health. However, any new research should then be considered as part of the whole body of evidence and any recommendations made should be based on the full evidence rather than on single papers. It is unfortunate that the BMJ press office and the UK media have focused on a single piece of comment which has resulted in sensational headlines and risks misleading parents and damaging infant health.
The DH recommendation is that solid food be introduced at around six months. It is acknowledged that babies’ individual development varies widely and that some babies may be ready for solid food before and after this time. Since the introduction of this recommendation the number of babies experiencing the potentially harmful introduction to solid food before 4 months has reduced.12
Health professionals should continue to support mothers with accurate information based on DH and WHO guidance, helping them to recognise the signs of when their baby may be ready to try new foods, while continuing to breastfeed.
References
1Frewtrell M, Wilson D, Booth I, Lucas A (2011) Six months of exclusive breastfeeding: how good is the evidence? BMJ 2011; 342:c5955 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/doi/10.1136/bmj.c5955
2 World Health Organization (2002), 55th World Health Assembly. Infant and young child nutrition. World Health Organization,(WHA55.25). http://apps.who.int/gb/archive/pdf_files/WHA55/ewha5525.pdf.
3 Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), Subgroup on Maternal and Child Nutrition (SMCN). Paper for discussion: introduction of solid foods, agenda item: 3. 2003. SMCN/03/08. www.sacn.gov.uk/pdfs/smcn_03_08.pdf.
4 Ip S, et al (2007) Breastfeeding and Maternal Health Outcomes in Developed Countries. AHRQ Publication No. 07-E007. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK38337/
5 Horta B et al (2007) Evidence on the long-term effects of breastfeeding. WHO. http://www.who.int/child_adolescent_health/documents/9241595230/en/index.html
6 Gutman LM, Brown J, Akerman R (2009) Nurturing Parenting Capability: The Early Years. Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning. http://www.learningbenefits.net/Publications/ResRepIntros/ResRep30intro.htm
7 Strathern L, Mamun AA, Najman JM et al (2009) Does Breastfeeding Protect Against Substantiated Child Abuse and Neglect? A 15-Year Cohort Study. Pediatrics; 123; 483-493. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/123/2/483
8 Dewey K, Chaparro M (2007) Mineral metabolism and body composition Iron status of breast-fed infants. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society (207), 66, 412–422 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17637094
9 Geissler C, Powers H (2007) Human Nutrition, 11th Ed Elsevier
10 http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Allergies/Pages/Foodallergy.aspx
11 Weaning (Department of Health, 2007) http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/page.asp?page=115&category=10
12 Bolling K, et al (2007) Infant Feeding Survey 2005, Department of Health, London http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/ifs2005
UNICEF UK response to media reports questioning the recommendation to introduce solid food to babies at 6 months
An article published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) is being reported in the media as questioning whether exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is appropriate for UK babies (1). This article is not based on new evidence but rather a re-analysis of older evidence, much of which is the same as that used as the basis for weaning recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UK’s Departments of Health (DH) (2,3)
When considering this analysis it should be noted that three of the four authors have declared an association with the baby feeding industry. Less breastfeeding and earlier introduction of solid food will lead to greater profit for this industry.
There is a wealth of robust evidence that breastfeeding saves lives and protects both the short and long term health of mothers and babies in industrialised countries. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of infections, as well as the risk of diabetes and obesity in children and breast cancer in mothers. It is also associated with improved parenting capability among low-income women, and with reduced incidence of neglect and postnatal depression, thereby improving the life chances of children(4 5 6 7).
WHO recommended the introduction of solid food at around 6 months alongside continued breastfeeding in 2001. This was based on evidence that the early introduction of solid food to babies increased the risk of infection and disease. In 2003, DH also began to recommend introducing solids at ‘around 6 months’, changing from its previous position of ‘at 4-6 months’. The authors of the BMJ article question this recommendation for UK babies. The basis of their arguments is that delaying introducing solid food may increase the risk of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), coeliac disease and food allergies, and that introducing new tastes may increase acceptance of green leafy vegetables and so encourage healthy eating later in life.
Iron deficiency anaemia
IDA is strongly influenced by iron stores at birth (which is related to the mother’s iron status and length of gestation) and early cord cutting (which is still common and can reduce iron stores by up to 33%). IDA is also associated with poverty and deprivation. Ensuring that the mother is not anaemic and that cord cutting is delayed will in turn ensure that the baby’s own body stores and breastmilk will provide sufficient iron for over 6 months (8).
The majority of the food commonly introduced to babies in the early months such as cereal, fruit and vegetables are low in iron and will therefore not help prevent IDA. However, if they are introduced before a baby needs them, they will displace breastmilk from the baby’s diet and may thereby reduce the amount of iron consumed(9).
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease is associated with the early introduction of gluten (from cereals). There have been a number of observational studies which have suggested that the exact timing of the introduction of gluten into the diet may influence the development of this disease. The Government’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition and Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Foods, Consumer Products and the Environment have been asked to analyse the evidence on this issue and its draft statement can be found at: www.sacn.gov.uk/meetings/sub_groups/maternal_child_nutrition/19012011.html
This statement concludes:
Currently available evidence on the timing of introduction of gluten into the infant diet and subsequent risk of coeliac disease and T1DM is insufficient to support recommendations about the appropriate timing of introduction of gluten into the infant diet for either the general population or high-risk sub-populations. However, there is evidence suggesting that not being breastfed at the time when gluten is introduced into the diet is associated with an increased risk of subsequently developing coeliac disease.
Food allergies
The incidence of genuine food allergy (as opposed to food intolerance) is rare (10). There is speculation and some observational data that when there is a family history of true allergy then early introduction of certain foods may be beneficial. Random control trials are now being undertaken to test this theory. Should this prove to be the case (which is by no means certain) then high risk families would need to be advised on a case-by-case basis. This would not affect public policy as applied to the majority of children not affected by allergies.
Introducing bitter tastes
The BMJ paper claims that introducing bitter tastes early will increase the acceptance of green leafy vegetables and so prevent obesity later in life. This is purely speculative.
Breastmilk changes flavour depending on the mother’s diet and so exposes the baby to various tastes from birth onwards. Food preference is also dependant on a number of factors including what is given, how it is given and parental attitude. Current DH recommendations take account of these factors and encourage parents to introduce a range of healthy foods in an appropriate manner (11).
Recommendations
The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative supports continued research into improving infant health. However, any new research should then be considered as part of the whole body of evidence and any recommendations made should be based on the full evidence rather than on single papers. It is unfortunate that the BMJ press office and the UK media have focused on a single piece of comment which has resulted in sensational headlines and risks misleading parents and damaging infant health.
The DH recommendation is that solid food be introduced at around six months. It is acknowledged that babies’ individual development varies widely and that some babies may be ready for solid food before and after this time. Since the introduction of this recommendation the number of babies experiencing the potentially harmful introduction to solid food before 4 months has reduced.12
Health professionals should continue to support mothers with accurate information based on DH and WHO guidance, helping them to recognise the signs of when their baby may be ready to try new foods, while continuing to breastfeed.
References
1Frewtrell M, Wilson D, Booth I, Lucas A (2011) Six months of exclusive breastfeeding: how good is the evidence? BMJ 2011; 342:c5955 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/doi/10.1136/bmj.c5955
2 World Health Organization (2002), 55th World Health Assembly. Infant and young child nutrition. World Health Organization,(WHA55.25). http://apps.who.int/gb/archive/pdf_files/WHA55/ewha5525.pdf.
3 Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), Subgroup on Maternal and Child Nutrition (SMCN). Paper for discussion: introduction of solid foods, agenda item: 3. 2003. SMCN/03/08. www.sacn.gov.uk/pdfs/smcn_03_08.pdf.
4 Ip S, et al (2007) Breastfeeding and Maternal Health Outcomes in Developed Countries. AHRQ Publication No. 07-E007. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK38337/
5 Horta B et al (2007) Evidence on the long-term effects of breastfeeding. WHO. http://www.who.int/child_adolescent_health/documents/9241595230/en/index.html
6 Gutman LM, Brown J, Akerman R (2009) Nurturing Parenting Capability: The Early Years. Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning. http://www.learningbenefits.net/Publications/ResRepIntros/ResRep30intro.htm
7 Strathern L, Mamun AA, Najman JM et al (2009) Does Breastfeeding Protect Against Substantiated Child Abuse and Neglect? A 15-Year Cohort Study. Pediatrics; 123; 483-493. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/123/2/483
8 Dewey K, Chaparro M (2007) Mineral metabolism and body composition Iron status of breast-fed infants. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society (207), 66, 412–422 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17637094
9 Geissler C, Powers H (2007) Human Nutrition, 11th Ed Elsevier
10 http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Allergies/Pages/Foodallergy.aspx
11 Weaning (Department of Health, 2007) http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/page.asp?page=115&category=10
12 Bolling K, et al (2007) Infant Feeding Survey 2005, Department of Health, London http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/ifs2005
Monday, 20 December 2010
Happy Unofficial Birthday Gracie
My daughter’s like the Queen. She has two birthdays. Today, 20th December, would have been her 1st birthday had she not been born 10 weeks early, so now seems like a good time to take stock.
It’s been an amazing 14 months. Remembering her in her incubator, it seems incredible that she’s nearly walking now.
Questions like “When can she come home?” and “When will she catch up?” have been replaced with “Is there ANYTHING she won’t put in her mouth?” and “How does she always manage to get Weetabix in her hair?”
When you have a premature baby, it’s only natural that you wonder at what rate they’ll develop, and when they’ll catch up. It’s interesting though – babies develop at such different rates, 10 weeks isn’t really as big a deal as I thought it would be. Gracie’s 14 months, and she’s taken a few steps; some full term babies don’t do that till later anyway. This obviously makes measuring development more difficult, but it’s all about milestones being reached.
I feel so lucky. Gracie has no medical complications (touch wood), and is progressing well. This is great, but I sometimes feel like a bit of a fraud. So many prem babies have issues that need lots of attention, and many parents have a stressful time, even when their babies are allowed home. The most difficult thing I had to deal with was the fact that Gracie refused to sleep in her cot, and didn’t like sleeping on her own.
For me, my experience of raising a prem baby doesn’t seem to be hugely different to other people raising babies that went full term. Obviously, having to spend the first 6 weeks of Gracie’s life visiting her in hospital wasn’t easy, but once she was home, I had the same doubts and concerns that affect any parent. And, like any parent, we found a way through.
I’m incredibly proud of my daughter – she’s happy, bright, and likes her food. She’s fine with other children, and has settled in well at nursery. She’s yet to sleep through the night, but co-sleeping (and breastfeeding) eases any problems that would cause, so no problem there. And they’re babies for such a short time – it’s impossible to think about how different she’ll be in a year from now.
But anyway – Happy Unofficial Birthday Gracie. With love from Mum x
Friday, 15 October 2010
Milestones Blog 13
Well, more than 5 months in, and some milestones have been reached over the past few weeks.
Bath: Gracie now enjoys a bath. Well, when I say “enjoy”, what I actually mean is that she doesn’t scream the place down any more. I think I maybe had the water too cold before. And if she’s already in a bad mood, not even a warm bath will calm her down. The discovery came when she’d down a spectacularly messy poo one morning, and my husband was unsure where to start in the cleanup operation. I decided to run a bath, and put her in it, regardless of the screams that were inevitably going to accompany the task. To my surprise, she accepted the bath without comment, and looked faintly bewildered by it all. Since then, we’ve had a few more, just to check that it wasn’t a one-off….
The cot: OK, so she still won’t sleep in her cot, but she will entertain herself in it, which is progress. I’ve bought some accessories – a light show projector type thing that shows Winnie the Pooh pictures on the ceiling, and a rainforest mobile, which she is fascinated by. It has bought me time throughout the day, which is great. It makes soothing rainforest noises, which she seems to like. There are musical options too, but I’ve ignores those so far. And, the mobile comes with a remote control!!
She’s much more aware of what’s going on now, and she knows exactly when to turn on the charm with people! She’ll be all smiles when required, it’s very cute…It’s crazy to think that just 5 months ago, she was in an incubator.
The fact that she was premature means that you can’t use the normal timeline for development. Obviously she’s not quite at the right stage for her actual age, but she’s slightly ahead of her corrected age. It’s actually quite nice to not have to worry about it, and just enjoy watching her progress. She’s becoming more and more independent by the day.
When I’m out and about, and I see people with toddlers, I try and imagine Gracie in a few years’ time. I try and picture us going to the park, or to the shops, but it seems like such a long way off, even though I know it isn’t. It seems like she’ll be a baby forever…
Bath: Gracie now enjoys a bath. Well, when I say “enjoy”, what I actually mean is that she doesn’t scream the place down any more. I think I maybe had the water too cold before. And if she’s already in a bad mood, not even a warm bath will calm her down. The discovery came when she’d down a spectacularly messy poo one morning, and my husband was unsure where to start in the cleanup operation. I decided to run a bath, and put her in it, regardless of the screams that were inevitably going to accompany the task. To my surprise, she accepted the bath without comment, and looked faintly bewildered by it all. Since then, we’ve had a few more, just to check that it wasn’t a one-off….
The cot: OK, so she still won’t sleep in her cot, but she will entertain herself in it, which is progress. I’ve bought some accessories – a light show projector type thing that shows Winnie the Pooh pictures on the ceiling, and a rainforest mobile, which she is fascinated by. It has bought me time throughout the day, which is great. It makes soothing rainforest noises, which she seems to like. There are musical options too, but I’ve ignores those so far. And, the mobile comes with a remote control!!
She’s much more aware of what’s going on now, and she knows exactly when to turn on the charm with people! She’ll be all smiles when required, it’s very cute…It’s crazy to think that just 5 months ago, she was in an incubator.
The fact that she was premature means that you can’t use the normal timeline for development. Obviously she’s not quite at the right stage for her actual age, but she’s slightly ahead of her corrected age. It’s actually quite nice to not have to worry about it, and just enjoy watching her progress. She’s becoming more and more independent by the day.
When I’m out and about, and I see people with toddlers, I try and imagine Gracie in a few years’ time. I try and picture us going to the park, or to the shops, but it seems like such a long way off, even though I know it isn’t. It seems like she’ll be a baby forever…
Nice to have some postnatal interests... Blog 12 23/2/10
My local cinema does Parent & Baby screenings, so I went along today. Wow. It’s so cool to be able to go to the cinema, with baby, and not have to worry about whether she’s going to start crying and disturb people or not. As it turns out, she was very well behaved, and hardly cried at all. The house lights are kept on so that you can see what you’re doing should baby need changing or anything, it’s great.
It used to be every fortnight, but they’re thinking of turning it into a weekly event. It was “The Lovely Bones” today, or “Valentine’s Day”. I chose “Lovely Bones”.
I’m starting to have a schedule now, doing various activities with Gracie, and I’m loving it. Now is a good time to start some hobbies I think, and there’s a knitting group near me on a Tuesday afternoon. Yes, I’ve started knitting, encouraged by mums from my First Parent Group. We went on an excursion to Romford (!) to buy wool and needles. I haven’t knitted since I was about 10, I followed instructions on how to cast on, and miraculously remembered how to knit. I don’t remember how to purl, I’ll teach myself that another day. I’m going to start by just knitting some squares and see how I get on. I think my first square is already looking wonky….My plan is to sew some squares together and make a hat.
I’d also like to start baking, but my husband rightly pointed out that, if I have time to bake, I should probably use the time more effectively to do something else. As it turns out, there are loads of reasons why I can’t do any baking. For a start, I have no baking tins. Not one. Nor do I have the ingredients, although I could of course buy some….
The main obstacle to my starting to bake is the fact that Gracie still needs a lot of attention and needs contact quite a lot of the time still. I put her in the sling sometimes, but it’s kind of difficult to bend down or cook with it on. And it’s tricky to sit down. Even now, as I type, she’s asleep on my chest. She looks so cute. I also know that, as she gets older and becomes more independent, she won’t want to do this anymore, so even though it can be inconvenient at times, I’m making the most of these months.
Well, that’s it for now. Madam needs changing and feeding…..
It used to be every fortnight, but they’re thinking of turning it into a weekly event. It was “The Lovely Bones” today, or “Valentine’s Day”. I chose “Lovely Bones”.
I’m starting to have a schedule now, doing various activities with Gracie, and I’m loving it. Now is a good time to start some hobbies I think, and there’s a knitting group near me on a Tuesday afternoon. Yes, I’ve started knitting, encouraged by mums from my First Parent Group. We went on an excursion to Romford (!) to buy wool and needles. I haven’t knitted since I was about 10, I followed instructions on how to cast on, and miraculously remembered how to knit. I don’t remember how to purl, I’ll teach myself that another day. I’m going to start by just knitting some squares and see how I get on. I think my first square is already looking wonky….My plan is to sew some squares together and make a hat.
I’d also like to start baking, but my husband rightly pointed out that, if I have time to bake, I should probably use the time more effectively to do something else. As it turns out, there are loads of reasons why I can’t do any baking. For a start, I have no baking tins. Not one. Nor do I have the ingredients, although I could of course buy some….
The main obstacle to my starting to bake is the fact that Gracie still needs a lot of attention and needs contact quite a lot of the time still. I put her in the sling sometimes, but it’s kind of difficult to bend down or cook with it on. And it’s tricky to sit down. Even now, as I type, she’s asleep on my chest. She looks so cute. I also know that, as she gets older and becomes more independent, she won’t want to do this anymore, so even though it can be inconvenient at times, I’m making the most of these months.
Well, that’s it for now. Madam needs changing and feeding…..
Back in the journal-writing saddle Blog 11 1/2/10
So, 16 weeks in and still loving motherhood. Even though there’s so much I didn’t know before I began. I’ve definitely learned that health professionals don’t know it all, and that books are only a guide and are frequently useless.
It’s been a while since my last journal. It’s not because I haven’t had anything to write, more that I’ve had too much. Where to start documenting what’s been going on since Gracie’s been home?
Gracie’s corrected age is 6 weeks. She’s doing well, following objects with her eyes, feeding lots, smiling, and expecting lots of cuddles. She’s demanding, but very, very cute.
She doesn’t like sleeping in her crib – in fact, she’s not very good at sleeping alone full stop. The sling that I bought gets used a fair bit round the house – it’s the only way I can get anything done. It’s a bit tricky when bending down and things, but we manage.
We all know that our lives will change when we have a child, but we can never guess how much. I never knew I could survive on uninterrupted sleep, and yet, I’m getting more than I thought I would. I imagined she’d be an angel and fall into a routine immediately, but I was wrong there. Patterns are emerging though, so a routine will come when she’s ready.
I can’t imagine life without her, it’s like she’s always been here.
We’ve been getting out and about – Baby Communication sessions, Baby Yoga, First Parent Group. There’s quite a lot out there, but you have to be proactive to find it. My local pub is baby-friendly during the day, so there’s somewhere I can take friends for lunch when they visit.
Visitors – wow. My husband and I have had more visitors in the last 3 months than we’ve ever had in the whole 3 years we’ve lived in our current flat. It’s amazing what babies do to people. The grandmas would travel anywhere to spend just a few moments with her. And the presents!!! The best piece of advice I was given when I was pregnant was “don’t buy anything until you’re absolutely sure you need it”. This turned out to be fantastic advice, because so much has been bought for us. We’ve barely bought any clothes for Gracie, and we’re not going to need to for ages. It’s also good advice because there’s a lot of stuff out there that we really don’t need.
Today is Monday – weigh-in day. Gracie was 8lb 2oz last week, so hopefully she’s still gaining. She looks bigger, most definitely. I find it weird that some babies are born at Gracie’s weight. I can’t imagine her being inside me at this size!!
Well, this entry is just to get back into the habit. I’ll be writing again soon. Now is time to get her in the sling before I need to feed her again…!
It’s been a while since my last journal. It’s not because I haven’t had anything to write, more that I’ve had too much. Where to start documenting what’s been going on since Gracie’s been home?
Gracie’s corrected age is 6 weeks. She’s doing well, following objects with her eyes, feeding lots, smiling, and expecting lots of cuddles. She’s demanding, but very, very cute.
She doesn’t like sleeping in her crib – in fact, she’s not very good at sleeping alone full stop. The sling that I bought gets used a fair bit round the house – it’s the only way I can get anything done. It’s a bit tricky when bending down and things, but we manage.
We all know that our lives will change when we have a child, but we can never guess how much. I never knew I could survive on uninterrupted sleep, and yet, I’m getting more than I thought I would. I imagined she’d be an angel and fall into a routine immediately, but I was wrong there. Patterns are emerging though, so a routine will come when she’s ready.
I can’t imagine life without her, it’s like she’s always been here.
We’ve been getting out and about – Baby Communication sessions, Baby Yoga, First Parent Group. There’s quite a lot out there, but you have to be proactive to find it. My local pub is baby-friendly during the day, so there’s somewhere I can take friends for lunch when they visit.
Visitors – wow. My husband and I have had more visitors in the last 3 months than we’ve ever had in the whole 3 years we’ve lived in our current flat. It’s amazing what babies do to people. The grandmas would travel anywhere to spend just a few moments with her. And the presents!!! The best piece of advice I was given when I was pregnant was “don’t buy anything until you’re absolutely sure you need it”. This turned out to be fantastic advice, because so much has been bought for us. We’ve barely bought any clothes for Gracie, and we’re not going to need to for ages. It’s also good advice because there’s a lot of stuff out there that we really don’t need.
Today is Monday – weigh-in day. Gracie was 8lb 2oz last week, so hopefully she’s still gaining. She looks bigger, most definitely. I find it weird that some babies are born at Gracie’s weight. I can’t imagine her being inside me at this size!!
Well, this entry is just to get back into the habit. I’ll be writing again soon. Now is time to get her in the sling before I need to feed her again…!
The delights of breastfeeding Blog 10 15/12/09
’m no earth mother, but I did have rather romantic ideas about breastfeeding. I imagined myself lovingly getting my boob out, my baby latching on whilst I gazed at her gaining her nourishment. Nobody told me that the reality isn’t quite like that.
Blimey, breastfeeding is hard. Gracie needs help getting the nipple into her mouth, then, once there, can spend anything from 10 minutes to an hour on the breast. I have to make sure she’s taken enough into her mouth, otherwise it hurts like hell (It’s bad enough that my breasts feel slightly sore all the time now – not in a painful way or anything, but it’s there. Apparently, cabbage works wonders, but I haven’t tried that yet.) And she’ll often take breathers – clearly, feeding from the breast is thirsty work….
Breastfeeding a premature baby has challenges. For a start, when Gracie was born, the sucking reflex wasn’t there, so she was fed through a tube. If you were given the choice between being fed automatically, or having to work for it, what would you do? When I started to feed on demand in the hospital, Gracie was on 65ml every 4 hours. There was no way I could compete with that. Now of course, I find it incredible that she was able to take 4 hours’ worth of milk – her stomach’s still so tiny.
As the mother of a preemie, I felt like I had to breastfeed. In normal circumstances, my views on breastfeeding are neutral. I think it is absolutely a mother’s choice how she feeds her baby, and the most important thing is that the baby is fed. But when your little one is in Special Care, you can’t help but feel slightly useless. The bond that develops while feeding your baby (whether by breast or bottle) isn’t there, so you feel the need to do something. Hence my spending 5 weeks expressing so that Gracie could be fed my milk whilst in the incubator.
In SCBU, everything is measured. So breastfeeding, and not knowing how much the baby is getting is hard. What if she’s not getting enough? I don’t know how much milk Gracie gets from me, but she’s gaining weight (in spite of seemingly throwing up most of it!!), so I guess she’s getting enough.
One thing about spending time in SCBU is that there is lots of help available. When I talk to mothers of term babies, they got nowhere near the advice and support that I did. This makes a huge difference. I honestly think that, if I were left to my own devices, I may well have given up.
What you don’t get advice on, however, is the indignity of leakage. Coming out of the shower is a race against time. And the other day, my right breast just started spouting on its own!! I was just about to feed Gracie, and off it went, in a perfect arc…
And breast pads are rubbish! They never stay in place, and they itch. And why would I want to wear a bra at night? I really hate waking up with wet patches on my pyjamas. I’ve taken to wearing a tankini top – as it’s made mainly of lycra, it dries really quickly. I think if someone can come up with nightwear that allows for leakage, as well as easy nursing, they could make a fortune….
Blimey, breastfeeding is hard. Gracie needs help getting the nipple into her mouth, then, once there, can spend anything from 10 minutes to an hour on the breast. I have to make sure she’s taken enough into her mouth, otherwise it hurts like hell (It’s bad enough that my breasts feel slightly sore all the time now – not in a painful way or anything, but it’s there. Apparently, cabbage works wonders, but I haven’t tried that yet.) And she’ll often take breathers – clearly, feeding from the breast is thirsty work….
Breastfeeding a premature baby has challenges. For a start, when Gracie was born, the sucking reflex wasn’t there, so she was fed through a tube. If you were given the choice between being fed automatically, or having to work for it, what would you do? When I started to feed on demand in the hospital, Gracie was on 65ml every 4 hours. There was no way I could compete with that. Now of course, I find it incredible that she was able to take 4 hours’ worth of milk – her stomach’s still so tiny.
As the mother of a preemie, I felt like I had to breastfeed. In normal circumstances, my views on breastfeeding are neutral. I think it is absolutely a mother’s choice how she feeds her baby, and the most important thing is that the baby is fed. But when your little one is in Special Care, you can’t help but feel slightly useless. The bond that develops while feeding your baby (whether by breast or bottle) isn’t there, so you feel the need to do something. Hence my spending 5 weeks expressing so that Gracie could be fed my milk whilst in the incubator.
In SCBU, everything is measured. So breastfeeding, and not knowing how much the baby is getting is hard. What if she’s not getting enough? I don’t know how much milk Gracie gets from me, but she’s gaining weight (in spite of seemingly throwing up most of it!!), so I guess she’s getting enough.
One thing about spending time in SCBU is that there is lots of help available. When I talk to mothers of term babies, they got nowhere near the advice and support that I did. This makes a huge difference. I honestly think that, if I were left to my own devices, I may well have given up.
What you don’t get advice on, however, is the indignity of leakage. Coming out of the shower is a race against time. And the other day, my right breast just started spouting on its own!! I was just about to feed Gracie, and off it went, in a perfect arc…
And breast pads are rubbish! They never stay in place, and they itch. And why would I want to wear a bra at night? I really hate waking up with wet patches on my pyjamas. I’ve taken to wearing a tankini top – as it’s made mainly of lycra, it dries really quickly. I think if someone can come up with nightwear that allows for leakage, as well as easy nursing, they could make a fortune….
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)