February 12 of 28

What's with this latest craze? Has anyone heard of this book? The Secret by Rhonda Byrne? My mom asked me to find the video and download it - as she had seen the author(s) on Oprah. Crafter's Choice offered it to me for .26 cents less than amazon has it for, but then you have to pay shipping. I keep "running into" this book - advertised everywhere. Is the book worth reading? Is the video worth watching? (I have it already - it was easy to find on torrent sites). Will I really learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of my life -- money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction I have in the world? Really? Or is this just another "fad"?

So I've decided to dry up my milk. The breastfeeding is not working out - and it's only making ME more frustrated and sad about it. So - why should I get myself down, when Sean will be just the same on formula. He'll still be his happy baby self - and I'll be back to my self - once I'm not stressed out about breastfeeding/pumping, etc. I've been torn between struggling to still pump - but my production is reducing by just doing that - so to sit for hours to pump out just one bottle - to me - is just rediculous, and not worth it.

I've done some research, and here are some tips to drying up:

-Wear a snug fitting bra.
-Place refrigerated cabbage leaves inside your bra for a couple of hours or till they wilt. Cabbage leaves have been used for years to help relieve engorgement. We do not know exactly why cabbage leaves help with engorgement but some researchers believe that there are substances in the cabbage that help to reduce swelling and inflammation. Break up the cabbage leaves so that there are no hard veins in them. Arrange them in your bra so they are comfortable and there are no hard spots pressing against your breast. Do not use cabbage leaves if you are allergic to cabbage or sulfa.
-Use ice packs or frozen vegetables for compresses. Use cold compresses for twenty minutes a few times a day. Do not put ice or frozen veggies directly on your skin. Use a towel between the ice and skin. You may have used heat before to relieve discomfort; this is not advised for engorgement. Warm compresses may encourage your milk to let down and increase milk production.
-Use an anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprophen, as needed.
-Do not pump. Pumping will signal your body to make more milk. Your body works on supply and demand. If you empty your breast, your body will think that it needs to make milk. When your breast becomes full it signals your body to make less milk. If you are very engorged, hand expressing milk is okay, but just empty enough to relieve discomfort. There is no point in being miserable while you are drying out.
-Drink a few cups of sage tea daily. Sage has properties in it that inhibit milk production.
-Do not restrict water intake. Some moms try to dry out milk by drinking less. Restricting your fluids will not reduce your engorgement and may lead to dehydration.

The information comes from here.

I hope this pain doesn't last too long, as it's really awful. I pumped earlier before I had made this decision, and haven't since, so I'm letting myself get engorged, and I'm too afraid to even manually express a little bit, as I don't want my body to think it needs to make more.

As far as speaking to someone about continuing - here are my thoughts: While health care in Quebec (I am not sure about the rest of Canada) is free, it's a little bit useless for what I want to get out of it. At the CLSC near me, I'm not sure what CLSC stands for, but it's French, and it's the free clinics here, the hospital I gave birth at sends a nurse from there to your house the week you're home from the hospital (I had them come because I wanted them to weigh Sean - you don't have to use their services if you don't want to) but why am I going to take advice from a nurse who is YOUNGER than me, and has NEVER breastfeed before because she's never had any children? And to spend another 80$ to have a private consultant come and PREACH breastfeeding (not what's right for me, and the baby, but tell me that I MUST breastfeed) isn't exactly what I am looking for. So that is my opinion on talking to someone. I must do what's right for me and Sean, and maybe it'll work out with my next child, but for Sean and I - it's not the best thing for us. And I am now, finally, okay with that.

Tonight I went to Post-natal Aqua. Marie who is due Friday was there, she hasn't given birth yet, but she's ready to give an eviction notice on her belly! I can't wait to find out if it's a boy or girl that she is having - she doesn't even know! (I don't think I'd ever be able to not know! But that's just me!) Tonight, there was also another girl who comes from time to time, she's in her 33rd week this week - and she's due around Passover. She's going to be starting to do everything she can to get her baby (she knows the sex, but won't tell anyone) out as of 2 weeks early, so that her mother can come in to be with her, before Passover. (They're religious I think). She says as of 36 weeks she's going to start with drinking Raspberry tea (apparent it's supposed to help) and eat a lot of Pineapple - which apparently softens the cervix (I did not know this). I think she's been doing a LOT of research!

Today I looked into Swimmers for Sean - but he's still WAY TOO small for the smallest size. I'm hoping to take him into the pool at the Y with me, just for some fun swim time. I was told there are mothers who bring their babies in for some swim time as early as 6 weeks old. Sean's now just past that age, but I've got to get him to fit into the swimmers (diapers that go into the pool) before he can even go! I think the size small was for either 14+ or 16+ pounds. Sean's maybe HALF of that! I'll find out his weight at his 2 month check up in 2 weeks.

I have been looking around for Pablum (infant cereal) as someone gave me a trick (trying to find out more info on that though) but Pablum was bought over, and is now Heinz. So if anyone else is looking for Pablum, which has been around since 1931- it's now got the Heinz label on it!

I guess you want to see some pictures of Sean - so here are some from today: (I know that's the only reason you read my blog - for pictures of Sean!)


Sean has been trying to figure out how to hold onto the links on this toy on his bouncy chair. I actually added some more links so that it's lower to him, so that he can actually grab it. He's working on that!


His hat reads: "I've been a good boy". It was a gift for Sean, that came with a sleeper as well. (Sleeper is in the hamper to be washed before he gets to wear it for the first time). Today, I've gone through all of Sean's clothes to realize that yes, while he DOES NOT fit into his newborn stuff anymore - that he has nothing that fits him! I have a lot of 3 month clothing, a lot of 3-6 month (and even bigger than that) - but I have VERY LITTLE that is 0-3 months - which is what Sean is fitting into now. Those newborn up to 7 lbs - it's the length that does not fit him! 0-3 months size is 7-10 lbs - so that is what I need. I found him something at Walmart today, but I didn't want to buy too much, as his grandmother has something for him, and I want to see what they have at the Gap or Old Navy. (Always great sales there!)

I did get Sean a SPIT HAPPENS bib today - I found at the store I thought I would while out. I got it in Blue - and I'll have to photograph Sean it in the next time he wears it. (It's also being pre-washed in baby detergent).

Baby Weekly Says:

Your little one will relax and unclench his or her hands more this week, and as his or her eyesight continues to improve, he or she is probably looking around more often and checking out his or her big new world.

I do notice that Sean has been unclenching is fists a lot more lately, but he still does it while eating. Maybe that will stop too - because sometimes those clenched fists make it hard to feed him!