Author: A Mama's Blog

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c-sections Pregnancy & Birth

Celebrity Speaks Against C-Sections

In a rare occurance, a Hollywood celebrity actually spoke against c-sections, and said she would not recommend having a c-section.

The celebrity: Tori Spelling. I admit I was surprised this came from her, but it is refreshing to hear someone from Hollywood not glamorize a c-section. She had an emergency c-section with her son, Liam, in March. 

She talks to People about losing her baby weight, and her experience with her c-section.  She said after the birth, she didn’t feel so great because of the c-section, and that made losing weight even harder.  She goes on to say that, “there is a big myth in Hollywood that actresses get c-sections because they are easier, but if I did not have to have one, I would not recommend it.”  

I have never been a huge Tori Spelling fan, and some of her interview in this video sounds a bit “flaky,” but you can also see how much she loves her baby, and I think it is great she spoke up with her comments about c-sections.  I also love that she is nursing her son, even though she has a rough start. 

Check out the video from People– (the date of the video is Sept. 12th) and it is only a minute and a half.  At least there is someone saying having a c-section isn’t easy or great!

Categories
Fun Stuff

How Much Is Your Blog Worth?

Here is a fun little site I saw (click on the link which asks, how much is your blog worth?)- you can type in your blog address and it will tell you how much your blog is worth- mine is:           


My blog is worth $7,339.02.
How much is your blog worth?

Now if someone would actually pay me that… 🙂

Categories
Breastfeeding Current Events Mothering

Nursing Mother / Doctor-To-Be Denied Time To Pump

This story was brought to my attention today.  I am so shocked and disappointed in this board’s decision  they will not allow this mother, Sophie, extra time for pumping breaks during her nine hour medical exam.  She has a four-month old daughter, who is nursing- like Sophie said, what is she supposed to do?  Let her milk drip all over the computer? Here’s another story on the issue:

BOSTON — Sophie Currier is a breast-feeding mother of two who has just completed an MD-Ph.D. program at Harvard University.Before she can have the doctor-scientific research career she’s dreamed of she must pass a nine-hour medical licensing exam scheduled for next week. But the National Board of Medical Examiners is refusing to let her have the extra time she needs to pump breast milk every
three hours in order to avoid serious medical complications.

“Because it’s physically impossible for a nursing mom to go nine hours or nine and a half hours without expressing milk, I told them that they were putting me in a position of choosing between nursing my child and taking this exam and advancing my career,” Currier said.

Currier has already overcome serious obstacles in her life — dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. To fight this obstacle, she is suing the licensing board, alleging discrimination.

“I think that it’s actually discriminating against women because men don’t have to do this job. No male will ever have to face this problem of deciding between feeding their child and taking an exam,” Currier said.

An attorney for the board said, “We can’t have an ad hoc preference for Sophie Currier. It wouldn’t be fair to others taking the test or to the public.”

But Currier said one of the things that bothers her the most is what she calls the hypocrisy of the board’s position.

“The medical community is putting a huge effort out — or portions of the medical community — to encourage women to breastfeed. If we are to breastfeed we need to be accommodated to do so,” Currier said.

Currier said that she hopes that a federal judge will simply order the board to give her additional break time beyond the total 45 minutes the rules now allow.

Sophie is so right on all of this, especially the hypocrisy found in the medical community in regards to breastfeeding.  It isn’t like she is going to going to go into the bathroom and look up answers to her exam on her laptop- she’ll be pumping her breasts!  Furthermore, as any woman who has nursed knows, when you can’t nurse, and don’t pump, at the very least you become engorged, uncomfortable, and can experience pain.  As if the exam wasn’t hard enough, she would have to divert some of her attention away from her test, and be worried about this. 

When the attorney for the board says extra breaks wouldn’t be fair to others or the public, then offer everyone extra breaks, and how is it not fair to the public?- Give me a break!  Nursing your baby is one of the best things a mother can do for her baby, for society, and for the public!

I also think Sophie hits the nail on the head when she mentions men will never have to be faced w/ this issue.  I can’t help but think if men breastfed, there would be nursing lounges in every restaurant, public place, breastfeeding breaks at work & school, and of course they would grant as many breaks as needed during exams to pump. Men would never be forced into a bathroom stall to pump during their breaks, and lunch hours, for fear of being “found out,” and being discriminated against because they are breastfeeding their baby.

It is sad so many women STILL have to fight so hard just to do what is natural and what is best for their babies.  Even though great strides have been made in accepting breastfeeding in our culture, stories like this remind us, there is still a long way to go until women won’t have to choose between feeding their babies and their career, or have to resort to a lawsuit to ensure they can breastfeed. 

I am glad she is challenging the ruling- it is only because of women like her that changes and progress are made!

Categories
Activities Family & Friends Pregnancy & Birth Ryan

Why I Don’t Go Out at Night

Tonight Joe and I met up with one of his friends he has known from his high school days, T.  She is in town for a few days for work.  I drove the boys and I to Joe’s work, and then we went to pick up T from at her hotel.  We took two cars, since there isn’t enough room in my car for another passenger with the two car seats in the back. 

Let me back up for a moment and say, this almost didn’t happen, because as I was pulling into the driveway from picking up Ryan from preschool this afternoon, I heard this crunch noise as I was rolling the windows up.  I looked at the passenger-driver side window, as it came out of whatever holds it up, and slipped all the way down into the door.  How weird is that?  I didn’t want to be driving at night with no window- and I have to work tomorrow, and was worried about parking my car all day, with the window gone. 

I crammed my fingers in there, and was able to retrieve the window, but could not get it back on track.  So Joe told me to duct tape it after I called him at work.  I couldn’t just duct tape it, so I had to prop it up with a wire hanger and then duct tape it. Ghetto for sure, but fortunately it works, it holds the window in place, and our mechanic can fix it on Thursday.

So after “fixing” the window, we meet up with his friend who told us she is 12 weeks pregnant with her and her husband’s first baby!  We are so excited. She is due in March, just a few days after another one of my friends, E., is due with her first baby, and a few days before yet another friend, N., is due with her third baby.  March must be a good months for babies!

We had a nice dinner, and the boys and I left at eight.  We were in a town about 30 minutes from home- nothing major. In fact, I used to live on the outskirts of this town.  But that was 10 years ago, and it has been built up so much, I hardly recognize it anymore.  As I was driving, I saw the road I wanted to get back on, and took it.  As I was driving, I thought nothing looked familiar at all, and then I realized the sign had said east, and I wanted west.  I was totally going in the wrong direction.

Well no big deal- I saw the sign coming up for the major Interstate, and even though it was a few miles longer, I knew I could head north on the Interstate, and get back home.  So I follow the signs, for the lane going to the north.  Evidently they are doing construction on this road and the lanes don’t match up anymore with the road signs!

After seeing the bridge I was supposed to be on, heading north, I was still heading east.  Oy!  Next exit was 3 miles.  Now I let out a few choice cuss words, with Ryan asking me in the back what was wrong.  I was frustrated, but still knew where I was going, so I told him I had missed the turn.  I get to the next exit where I can turn around, and have never in my life been on this road, but it made a nice loop, and I was back on another Interstate, heading west, that would hook up with the main Interstate that would take me north.  I saw the sign telling me the lane to get in to merge up with the northbound Interstate. 

More ******* construction.  Once again, I was NOT in the northbound lane, I was still heading west.  Now I was really upset, and fired off a few more cuss words, with Ryan getting more worried. 

It is bad enough when you are flustered, but with kids, you can’t even vent, because they get stressed too.  I saw a turn off for the southbound direction of the main Interstate, and hallelujah- the lane actually lined up with what the sign said.  So, now I was going south, and needed to turn around so I would finally be going north. 

I exited at the first exit. I called Joe, because I was so flustered.  He told me to just relax and he said I was right where I needed to be.  I had to wait for two lights and then I was finally going northbound.  Thirty minutes after I had left the restaurant.  Twenty minutes after that, we were finally home! A trip that should have taken 30 minutes at the most had turned into almost an hour.    Ryan told Dad that we had a problem getting home- I’ll say.

I am just thankful the window stayed put and didn’t fall back down, or fall out on the highway. That would have been lovely.  It is not fun to be turned around, and flustered driving at night with two little kids.  Now I know why I don’t like to drive at night!

Categories
Cole Family & Friends Mothering Parenting Ryan

Happy Grandparent’s Day!

 Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do.  Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.  ~Alex Haley

Today is Grandparent’s Day, so I wanted to devote a post to grandparents!

First off, even though I didn’t know my only grandmother, Mimi, when I was growing up, we have gotten acquainted over the years, and she is terrific!  She is so smart, loves to read, and lets all of her family descend on her beautiful beach house every summer.  She lovingly provides a place, where all of us stressed out, sleep deprived, visitors can come each year to relax, just be, and take a step back. 

After having five of her own children, eleven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, there isn’t anything she doesn’t know about babies.  She helped put a piece of the puzzle together for me on Cole’s constant waking at night this summer- she told me he was hungry and I needed to give him a protein snack before bed, and don’t forget to do it!  I usually did forget, but have been remembering and he DOES sleep so much better now.  Sometimes it is just the simple things grandparents can remind us of that make all the difference.  So thank you, Mimi, for everything you do for ALL of us.  We love you!

I also didn’t know my only grandpa growing up.  He has taken more and more trips out to our state to visit, and we have gotten to know him better as well.  He is wickedly funny, and witty.  I am so glad that I have these memories of him, and he has been able to at least meet his oldest great-grand son!

Second, I can’t thank Ryan and Cole’s grandparents enough- all five of them, for the incredible love, help, and support they give to our entire family.  I honestly don’t know how we would have made it this far without their help.

 It seems like just when Joe and I, are at the end of our ropes, whoo-la- a grandparent calls and offers to have Ryan over for the day (Joe’s parents), or offers to come up and baby-sit for a few hours (my dad and step-mom), or stops by for a short visit, playing with the boys for half an hour, to give me a break (my dad), or listens to me rant and rave, and vent (my mom) never judging me, but giving me practical and loving advice, so I can keep going. 

In those early days after having Cole, who demanded I was with him at all times, the grandparents were lifesavers, in helping me with Ryan, so he still felt special, and also helping me with Cole- holding him, so I could take a shower, or just get a break. 

Whenever my well is dry, these incredible people are waiting in the wings to help re-nourish my supply.  I gain a lot of comfort in knowing we have such a wonderful support system, but at the same time, allowing me to find my path as a mother. 

I am not naïve to think I am a great mother, or even a good mother- I am just trying to do the best I can, but any good things I do as a mother is because of the love, and extra support my mother, Joe’s parents, and my parents offer to me.  I would not be half the mother I try to be without their love, support, and guidance. 

Becoming a mother involves so many changes and unexpected twists and turns.  I didn’t grow up with grandparents, so I didn’t understand that special relationship-not only between the grandparents and grandchildren, but a new dimension to my relationships with my parents and in-laws.  I never expected to need or have these relationships- and now I couldn’t imagine it any other way. 

My boys love their grandparents so much, who light up every time they are around you. They have a special sparkle in their eyes that they have only for you, which I hope one day I’ll be able to see in my grandchildren’s eyes as well.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Grandparents, for everything you do for us every day.  It means more than you could possibly ever know.  I love all of you! 

Here are some special quotes regarding grandparents that I like.  The quote at the top of this post by Alex Haley, is my favorite.  Happy Grandparents Day to all!

Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild.  ~Welsh Proverb

What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance.  They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life.  And, most importantly, cookies.  ~Rudolph Giuliani

Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever.  ~Author Unknown

It is as grandmothers that our mothers come into the fullness of their grace.  ~Christopher Morley

Grandchildren are God’s way of compensating us for growing old.  ~Mary H. Waldrip

The best baby-sitters, of course, are the baby’s grandparents.  You feel completely comfortable entrusting your baby to them for long periods, which is why most grandparents flee to Florida.  ~Dave Barry

A mother becomes a true grandmother the day she stops noticing the terrible things her children do because she is so enchanted with the wonderful things her grandchildren do.  ~Lois Wyse

Grandparents are there to help the child get into mischief they haven’t thought of yet.  ~Gene Perret

It’s amazing how grandparents seem so young once you become one.  ~Author Unknown

Grandchildren:  the only people who can get more out of you than the IRS.  ~Gene Perret

If your baby is “beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time,” you’re the grandma.  ~Teresa Bloomingdale

What is it about grandparents that is so lovely?  I’d like to say that grandparents are God’s gifts to children.  And if they can but see, hear and feel what these people have to give, they can mature at a fast rate.  ~Bill Cosby

No cowboy was ever faster on the draw than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet.  ~Author Unknown

A grandmother pretends she doesn’t know who you are on Halloween.  ~Erma Bombeck