Tommy has a cold. This cold has resulted in Tommy losing his voice. Because he uses his voice mostly for crying (Tommy cries A LOT!), his illness has acted as a somewhat of a vacation for his family from listening to his screams.
If we didn't feel so badly for him it would be difficult not to laugh at poor Tommy, mouth agape, clearly registering his complaint, but without sound.
This is one baby that has no reason to be discontent. Yet it is so. He is breastfed, coddled by family members and doesn't have to wear his own products of elimination. Perfect life, no? Somehow, he just doesn't think so.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Intact Baby Boy
Those of you who practice EC know that you see things that other parents never see. Things like spotting and the blast force of a breast milk poopy. For those with boys, what you see while standing at the sink looking down at his penis while he makes a pee pee can be surprising and perhaps scary if you don't know what to expect.
First, an anatomy lesson. The penis of a baby boy has a foreskin. If your boy does not have a foreskin, then it was removed surgically. This is not a separate or superfluous part, it is an integral part of the penis itself. Unlike the eyelid, which is not a part of or attached to, the eye, even though it plays a roll in covering the eye and holding it in its proper place, the foreskin cannot be seen as a separate organ or bit of tissue from the penis. The foreskin is not near the penis or attached to the penis, it is PART of the penis.
A foreskin is usually adhered, at birth, to its penis. Unlike the foreskin of an adult male which is fully retractable, an infant's foreskin does not retract but remains over the glans of the penis. Most foreskins extend beyond the glans of the flaccid penis and usually beyond the glans of the erect penis, as well, at least in babies.
Because the foreskin is adhered to the glans (also called the "head" of the penis), do NOT attempt to pull it back to uncover the glans, no matter what some ignorant doctor or mother-in-law suggests! Pulling on the foreskin before it is ready to retract can cause ripping and scarring on the glans. This will be painful for the baby, could result in infection, scarring and unnatural adhesions requiring surgery or circumcision, or could cause phimosis, an emergency condition whereby the foreskin gets stuck in the retracted position.
So, there you are, holding your little man in the Potty Position, looking over his shoulder, down to his penis. What do you see? You will probably notice that the penis always tends to point or drape to a particular side. Tommy's Papa told me this is sometimes called "dress", as in, "He dresses to the right." This is normal. No need to attempt to make it hang straight.
As he starts to pee you will notice that before any urine comes out the area in front of the glans plumps up as the foreskin fills. Then the urine shoots out of the end of the foreskin. The opening in the foreskin my be very tiny in newborns. That will cause the stream of urine to be thin and high pressure. Do not be frightened by this. It is completely normal. You don't need to rush him to the doctor to get the opening in the foreskin enlarged. A tiny opening in the foreskin does not mean that the baby's meatus, the opening in the tip of the penis which you can't see because it is under the foreskin, is small or restricted.
Through the natural processes of urination, erections and general handling, the adherence of the foreskin to the glans of the penis will lessen over time until eventually the foreskin will be able to retract completely off of the glans onto the shaft. There is no set amount of time in which this must occur. Studies in Scandinavian countries have shown that it can take up to 18 years in some men. On average it occurs at a much younger age. Don't be surprised if you never know when it occurs, because you aren't likely to see much of your son's penis after he is completely toilet independent.
The first signs of the lessening of the grip of the foreskin to the glans is an increasing size of the opening in the end of the foreskin through which the urine flows. You will notice this as the disappearance of the bulging that used to occur at the tip of the penis during urination. When the size of the opening in the foreskin matches the size of the opening in the penis (the meatus), or is very close in size, the urine doesn't build up in the foreskin before squirting out. This will result in a lower pressure urination, but it will still be pretty forceful.
Another thing you might notice is that the pee pee tends to always shoot in the same direction (slightly left, right, upward or downward) regardless of the way the penis hangs. This probably has to do with the location of the opening in the foreskin in relation to the meatus. If it tends to shoot upwards, you have to adjust your potty position accordingly in order to avoid time consuming clean ups.
TM has no clue how pottying looks with a circumcised baby. Feel free to post your own experiences in the comments if you think they will be edifying to a first-timer.
First, an anatomy lesson. The penis of a baby boy has a foreskin. If your boy does not have a foreskin, then it was removed surgically. This is not a separate or superfluous part, it is an integral part of the penis itself. Unlike the eyelid, which is not a part of or attached to, the eye, even though it plays a roll in covering the eye and holding it in its proper place, the foreskin cannot be seen as a separate organ or bit of tissue from the penis. The foreskin is not near the penis or attached to the penis, it is PART of the penis.
A foreskin is usually adhered, at birth, to its penis. Unlike the foreskin of an adult male which is fully retractable, an infant's foreskin does not retract but remains over the glans of the penis. Most foreskins extend beyond the glans of the flaccid penis and usually beyond the glans of the erect penis, as well, at least in babies.
Because the foreskin is adhered to the glans (also called the "head" of the penis), do NOT attempt to pull it back to uncover the glans, no matter what some ignorant doctor or mother-in-law suggests! Pulling on the foreskin before it is ready to retract can cause ripping and scarring on the glans. This will be painful for the baby, could result in infection, scarring and unnatural adhesions requiring surgery or circumcision, or could cause phimosis, an emergency condition whereby the foreskin gets stuck in the retracted position.
So, there you are, holding your little man in the Potty Position, looking over his shoulder, down to his penis. What do you see? You will probably notice that the penis always tends to point or drape to a particular side. Tommy's Papa told me this is sometimes called "dress", as in, "He dresses to the right." This is normal. No need to attempt to make it hang straight.
As he starts to pee you will notice that before any urine comes out the area in front of the glans plumps up as the foreskin fills. Then the urine shoots out of the end of the foreskin. The opening in the foreskin my be very tiny in newborns. That will cause the stream of urine to be thin and high pressure. Do not be frightened by this. It is completely normal. You don't need to rush him to the doctor to get the opening in the foreskin enlarged. A tiny opening in the foreskin does not mean that the baby's meatus, the opening in the tip of the penis which you can't see because it is under the foreskin, is small or restricted.
Through the natural processes of urination, erections and general handling, the adherence of the foreskin to the glans of the penis will lessen over time until eventually the foreskin will be able to retract completely off of the glans onto the shaft. There is no set amount of time in which this must occur. Studies in Scandinavian countries have shown that it can take up to 18 years in some men. On average it occurs at a much younger age. Don't be surprised if you never know when it occurs, because you aren't likely to see much of your son's penis after he is completely toilet independent.
The first signs of the lessening of the grip of the foreskin to the glans is an increasing size of the opening in the end of the foreskin through which the urine flows. You will notice this as the disappearance of the bulging that used to occur at the tip of the penis during urination. When the size of the opening in the foreskin matches the size of the opening in the penis (the meatus), or is very close in size, the urine doesn't build up in the foreskin before squirting out. This will result in a lower pressure urination, but it will still be pretty forceful.
Another thing you might notice is that the pee pee tends to always shoot in the same direction (slightly left, right, upward or downward) regardless of the way the penis hangs. This probably has to do with the location of the opening in the foreskin in relation to the meatus. If it tends to shoot upwards, you have to adjust your potty position accordingly in order to avoid time consuming clean ups.
TM has no clue how pottying looks with a circumcised baby. Feel free to post your own experiences in the comments if you think they will be edifying to a first-timer.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Some Days Are Not So Pleasant
Today Tommy wasn't too interested in the potty. The nap was elusive. He was put down in the usual manner several times, but he was never able to sleep for more than about 20 or 30 minutes. Normally he sleeps at least an hour.
TM managed one Catch in the sink, with some coaxing. Tommy was arching his back and fussing. Normally an arched back means he doesn't need to go and so the attempt is abandoned, but TM knew he did need to pee pee, so she insisted he sit still (well, sit in the Potty Position) and go. After about a minute, he tinkled and returned merrily to his play. Carried in TM's arms, of course.
TM managed one Catch in the sink, with some coaxing. Tommy was arching his back and fussing. Normally an arched back means he doesn't need to go and so the attempt is abandoned, but TM knew he did need to pee pee, so she insisted he sit still (well, sit in the Potty Position) and go. After about a minute, he tinkled and returned merrily to his play. Carried in TM's arms, of course.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Where's the Dimple?
On the baby's knuckle,
On the baby's knee;
Where will the baby's dimple be?
Baby's cheek or baby's chin;
Seems to me it would be a sin;
If it's always covered with a safety pin!
Oh, where will the dimple be?
author unknown
The above is a song that my mother sings to her grandchildren when they are bouncing on her knee. I wish I had an audio file of her singing it.
On the baby's knee;
Where will the baby's dimple be?
Baby's cheek or baby's chin;
Seems to me it would be a sin;
If it's always covered with a safety pin!
Oh, where will the dimple be?
author unknown
The above is a song that my mother sings to her grandchildren when they are bouncing on her knee. I wish I had an audio file of her singing it.
Going Potty Here and There
When Tommy woke this morning he was taken to the potty first thing. However, big sister was using the sink so TM took Tommy to the toilet instead. Standing in front of the pot, facing it in the manner that a man would do in order to urinate, she held Tommy in the potty position over the toilet. The potty position simply means that Tommy is sitting in TM's hands with his back against her tummy or chest. Her hands are gripping Tommy under the thighs.
He reclines slightly and his legs are held apart and bent at the hips. Almost as if he was squatting in a semi-horizontal pose. The legs have to be held apart in this manner to prevent his pee pee from spraying his feet.
TM was not able to use this standing position with the last two EC babies. Apparently all of that T-Tapping
is paying off! The usual manner of using the toilet as a potty place had TM sitting on a step stool in front of the toilet. The step stool is also handy for when the ECing baby starts sitting on the mini-seat that attaches to the toilet seat. Mommy needs to be right there to prevent the baby from taking a nasty fall.
So, Tommy's Mommy scores a Catch in the toilet right off the bat!
Tommy is then placed in the sling so TM can make breakfast. About 30 minutes later, it is decided that it might be time for Tommy to tinkle again. The only signal TM gets is a slight warm feeling on her hip where Tommy sits in the sling. Rather than trotting all the way to the bathroom while she is watching the oatmeal cook, she decides to use the big red potty bowl.
The bowl is placed on a nearby table (ok, ok, it's the dining room table) and Tommy is lifted out of the sling and his diaper is untucked from the the Diaper Belt in front. Tommy is held in the Potty Position and very quickly he starts a stream. TM is observant to make sure the stream lands directly in the center of the bowl. YES! Another catch!
The tricky thing about using bowls and holding the baby over them instead of tucking the bum in them is that baby may decide to poop while he is peeing. If he is being held in such a way that the stream of urine is landing in the center of the bowl, the poopy may miss the bowl entirely and you will have a bit of a mess. This is why TM so much prefers the bathroom sink for pottying. It is large enough that the baby's bottom can be moved over the sink without worrying that he will pee completely over it. And even if he does, the pee will just hit the mirror or the counter and can be easily cleaned.
I'm sorry this blog has such a lack of useful photos. The problem, of course, is that TM is the one holding Tommy when he potties, and she can't simultaneously operate the camera.
He reclines slightly and his legs are held apart and bent at the hips. Almost as if he was squatting in a semi-horizontal pose. The legs have to be held apart in this manner to prevent his pee pee from spraying his feet.
TM was not able to use this standing position with the last two EC babies. Apparently all of that T-Tapping
is paying off! The usual manner of using the toilet as a potty place had TM sitting on a step stool in front of the toilet. The step stool is also handy for when the ECing baby starts sitting on the mini-seat that attaches to the toilet seat. Mommy needs to be right there to prevent the baby from taking a nasty fall.So, Tommy's Mommy scores a Catch in the toilet right off the bat!
Tommy is then placed in the sling so TM can make breakfast. About 30 minutes later, it is decided that it might be time for Tommy to tinkle again. The only signal TM gets is a slight warm feeling on her hip where Tommy sits in the sling. Rather than trotting all the way to the bathroom while she is watching the oatmeal cook, she decides to use the big red potty bowl.
The bowl is placed on a nearby table (ok, ok, it's the dining room table) and Tommy is lifted out of the sling and his diaper is untucked from the the Diaper Belt in front. Tommy is held in the Potty Position and very quickly he starts a stream. TM is observant to make sure the stream lands directly in the center of the bowl. YES! Another catch!
The tricky thing about using bowls and holding the baby over them instead of tucking the bum in them is that baby may decide to poop while he is peeing. If he is being held in such a way that the stream of urine is landing in the center of the bowl, the poopy may miss the bowl entirely and you will have a bit of a mess. This is why TM so much prefers the bathroom sink for pottying. It is large enough that the baby's bottom can be moved over the sink without worrying that he will pee completely over it. And even if he does, the pee will just hit the mirror or the counter and can be easily cleaned.
I'm sorry this blog has such a lack of useful photos. The problem, of course, is that TM is the one holding Tommy when he potties, and she can't simultaneously operate the camera.
Friday, November 13, 2009
First Foods
When considering starting solid foods, the EC mommy has an additional issue with which to deal. Tommy's primary potty place is the sink. Breast milk poopy that is watery is very easy to wash down the sink drain.
Once solids are introduced, the poop begins to not only take on an odor, but to become solid as well. The beginning of solid bowel movements usually means the beginning of transitioning to the toilet or potty chair.
That being said, today Tommy had his first solid food. (Actually, he had about 1/4 t. of plain, home made yogurt last week) TM took one thin slice of banana and smashed it on a plate. It looked like less than a teaspoon of mashed banana. Tommy opened his mouth and easily took the spoon with just a tad of banana on the tip. He ate about 3 of these bites.
Now TM waits and watches to see what passes...
Once solids are introduced, the poop begins to not only take on an odor, but to become solid as well. The beginning of solid bowel movements usually means the beginning of transitioning to the toilet or potty chair.
That being said, today Tommy had his first solid food. (Actually, he had about 1/4 t. of plain, home made yogurt last week) TM took one thin slice of banana and smashed it on a plate. It looked like less than a teaspoon of mashed banana. Tommy opened his mouth and easily took the spoon with just a tad of banana on the tip. He ate about 3 of these bites.
Now TM waits and watches to see what passes...
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Baby, It's C-C-Cooooold Outside! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
ECing lends itself to nekkid babies in the same way that many parents like to toilet train their toddlers during the summer. The point being that if baby wets his clothing, there is less of it to change and launder. But nekkid babies can be a problem in the winter.
The books about ECing talk about all of the cultures where infant potty training is practiced, and they are primarily in warm climates. The exception is China. Those babies seem to be fully clothed rather than just wearing a string around the waist.
In the United States we have the advantage of climate controlled homes. Even when it is cold outside we can crank up the heat and be toasty warm. This permits us to have our EC babies wearing only t-shirts, socks and diaper belt ensembles, which is the look frequently sported by Tommy.
There may be times, however, when even an American doesn't want to keep her home warm enough for running around naked. Perhaps she heats with wood and on days that are slightly cold, starting a fire will only result in a house that is uncomfortably warm and she would rather just bundle herself and the kids in more clothing.
While TM does intend to make some of those cute Chinese style split pants seen HERE, in the meantime she whipped up some leggings to keep Tommy's legs warm.
To make your own EC leg warmers, find a pair of socks you don't want. It is fine if they have holes in the toes or heels. As a matter of fact, that makes it even better since you will be cutting off that part of the sock.
TM chose a pair of her own knee socks and a pair of crew socks.
Stop coveting TM's Ginghers! You can buy your own using one of those coupons for Jo-Ann's where you get 50% off one item. Sorry for the rabbit trail...
Simply cut the foot off of the sock.
Now you have a pair of leg warmers that cost you nothing and took you about 20 seconds to make. You probably spent more time than that just looking for some scissors.
See how warm Tommy looks now? This crew sock is ribbed so it clings to his leg. For an even tighter fit, use a child's sized sock.
Here Tommy is modeling one of each type of sock. The knee sock only has ribbing at the top so it fits and hangs more like a pant leg.
If you have absolutely no skills and you need a pair of these leggings, simply mail a pair of old socks to TM along with $10 for shipping. She will put her Ginghers to work on your socks and your EC baby will be warm in a jiffy!
Of course, you can spend more and buy spiffy brand new ones HERE.
The main thing is to find a way to keep baby's legs warm on those cold days.
The books about ECing talk about all of the cultures where infant potty training is practiced, and they are primarily in warm climates. The exception is China. Those babies seem to be fully clothed rather than just wearing a string around the waist.
In the United States we have the advantage of climate controlled homes. Even when it is cold outside we can crank up the heat and be toasty warm. This permits us to have our EC babies wearing only t-shirts, socks and diaper belt ensembles, which is the look frequently sported by Tommy.
There may be times, however, when even an American doesn't want to keep her home warm enough for running around naked. Perhaps she heats with wood and on days that are slightly cold, starting a fire will only result in a house that is uncomfortably warm and she would rather just bundle herself and the kids in more clothing.
While TM does intend to make some of those cute Chinese style split pants seen HERE, in the meantime she whipped up some leggings to keep Tommy's legs warm.
To make your own EC leg warmers, find a pair of socks you don't want. It is fine if they have holes in the toes or heels. As a matter of fact, that makes it even better since you will be cutting off that part of the sock.
TM chose a pair of her own knee socks and a pair of crew socks.
Stop coveting TM's Ginghers! You can buy your own using one of those coupons for Jo-Ann's where you get 50% off one item. Sorry for the rabbit trail...Simply cut the foot off of the sock.
Now you have a pair of leg warmers that cost you nothing and took you about 20 seconds to make. You probably spent more time than that just looking for some scissors.
See how warm Tommy looks now? This crew sock is ribbed so it clings to his leg. For an even tighter fit, use a child's sized sock.
Here Tommy is modeling one of each type of sock. The knee sock only has ribbing at the top so it fits and hangs more like a pant leg.
If you have absolutely no skills and you need a pair of these leggings, simply mail a pair of old socks to TM along with $10 for shipping. She will put her Ginghers to work on your socks and your EC baby will be warm in a jiffy!
Of course, you can spend more and buy spiffy brand new ones HERE.
The main thing is to find a way to keep baby's legs warm on those cold days.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Breastfeeding Oversupply Syndrome
Yes, the title is serious. There is actually a syndrome or collection of symptoms related to having an oversupply of breast milk! Isn't that amazing?
Women that EC tend to also breast feed their babies. The connection has to do with how these women want to do what is best and most healthy for their babies and to connect with them on deep levels. Very earthy. Very crunchy. (although we now know that granola isn't the health food we were all led to believe - but I digress) An interesting aspect of this connection is that EC mommies get to see the milk going in AND coming out. This makes them pretty aware when something is out-of-sorts.
So, TM is noticing that Tommy is not only fussy, crying all the time, and spitting up excessively, she also notices that his poopy is foamy. It looks like it came straight out of a Pampered Chef suds pump. Instead of shooting into the sink with great force, it sort of puffs and bubbles its way from Tommy's bottom to the sink and then to the drain. It is also a bit more greenish than its usual yellow color.
Those of you who use diapers all the time rarely get the opportunity to analyze poopy to this depth. After all, by the time you see the poopy, it has had ample opportunity to soak into the material of the diaper whether that be paper or cloth. So really foamy poopy has been a sight that has alluded you. Alas and alack.
Back to the subject at hand...
TM was a bit concerned about this and she turned to the breastfeeding experts, other women who nurse their babies. Thankfully, one of these experienced moms has this great interview on her website Breastfeeding Mother-To-Mother. Go to this link, listen to the interview and learn more than you ever thought possible about Breast Feeding Over Supply Syndrome. While you are there, read the rest of the stuff on the site. Order her breastfeeding video as well. I've seen it and it is outstanding. You can also get it HERE
TM's summary of the issue is this: your breasts can make more milk than they really need to. If that happens, then baby can end up consuming too much foremilk, resulting in a gassy baby with foamy poop.
To solve the problem, Tommy's feeding was changed from "switch feeding" to "block feeding". Switch feeding means feeding the baby on one breast at each feeding then switching to the other breast at the next feeding. The advantage to this system is that a mommy merely has to tap each breast before a feeding to see which one is the fullest and thus the ONE for that nursing episode. A mommy doesn't have to try to remember which breast was used first at the last feeding or any of that complicated stuff.
Block feeding means using only one breast for a specified number of hours, regardless of how often baby nurses. For example, left breast for four hours, then right breast for four hours. This allows each breast to be fully drained of the fatty hind milk (terribly simplistic terminology and explanation as it would take a full discussion for the subjects of "draining" a breast and "hind milk") and be able to have a break of X number of hours between uses, which will stop the over stimulation of the breast and hopefully reduce milk production.
There are countless articles out there about how to increase the milk supply, but very few about how to decrease the milk supply. This is probably because the danger of a low supply is a more serious and possibly life threatening problem. Also, there may just be more women with low supply than with over supply. Until seeing this interview, TM didn't even know the latter issue was a problem. You can imagine her surprise when the "problem" turned out to be HERS!
Tommy is baby number 7 in his family. His mother is not inexperienced with breast feeding. But switch feeding had always been very convenient and she never had any reason to try something different until she saw the foamy poops and dealt with the fussy baby. When first changing to Block Feeding, TM was using four hour blocks. This was not good because it was hard to remember. If the left breast was used from 12 to 4 a.m., it would end up being the right breast from 12 to 4 p.m., which was confusing. After only 2 days of that, TM assigned the block times currently being used and the problems associated with over supply went away.
Now Tommy gets access to the right breast for 6 hours, from 12 to 6 and the left breast from 6 to 12.
Within two weeks of implementing this system the foamy poops stopped and TM noticed a definite reduction in the fullness of the breasts. Naturally the milk supply was watched closely to make sure that a more drastic reduction did not occur. But the supply seemed to level off, exactly matching the demand.
For more info on Breast Feeding Oversupply Syndrome, or to get answers for other breast feeding issues, be sure to visit the link above.
Women that EC tend to also breast feed their babies. The connection has to do with how these women want to do what is best and most healthy for their babies and to connect with them on deep levels. Very earthy. Very crunchy. (although we now know that granola isn't the health food we were all led to believe - but I digress) An interesting aspect of this connection is that EC mommies get to see the milk going in AND coming out. This makes them pretty aware when something is out-of-sorts.
So, TM is noticing that Tommy is not only fussy, crying all the time, and spitting up excessively, she also notices that his poopy is foamy. It looks like it came straight out of a Pampered Chef suds pump. Instead of shooting into the sink with great force, it sort of puffs and bubbles its way from Tommy's bottom to the sink and then to the drain. It is also a bit more greenish than its usual yellow color.
Those of you who use diapers all the time rarely get the opportunity to analyze poopy to this depth. After all, by the time you see the poopy, it has had ample opportunity to soak into the material of the diaper whether that be paper or cloth. So really foamy poopy has been a sight that has alluded you. Alas and alack.
Back to the subject at hand...
TM was a bit concerned about this and she turned to the breastfeeding experts, other women who nurse their babies. Thankfully, one of these experienced moms has this great interview on her website Breastfeeding Mother-To-Mother. Go to this link, listen to the interview and learn more than you ever thought possible about Breast Feeding Over Supply Syndrome. While you are there, read the rest of the stuff on the site. Order her breastfeeding video as well. I've seen it and it is outstanding. You can also get it HERE
TM's summary of the issue is this: your breasts can make more milk than they really need to. If that happens, then baby can end up consuming too much foremilk, resulting in a gassy baby with foamy poop.
To solve the problem, Tommy's feeding was changed from "switch feeding" to "block feeding". Switch feeding means feeding the baby on one breast at each feeding then switching to the other breast at the next feeding. The advantage to this system is that a mommy merely has to tap each breast before a feeding to see which one is the fullest and thus the ONE for that nursing episode. A mommy doesn't have to try to remember which breast was used first at the last feeding or any of that complicated stuff.
Block feeding means using only one breast for a specified number of hours, regardless of how often baby nurses. For example, left breast for four hours, then right breast for four hours. This allows each breast to be fully drained of the fatty hind milk (terribly simplistic terminology and explanation as it would take a full discussion for the subjects of "draining" a breast and "hind milk") and be able to have a break of X number of hours between uses, which will stop the over stimulation of the breast and hopefully reduce milk production.
There are countless articles out there about how to increase the milk supply, but very few about how to decrease the milk supply. This is probably because the danger of a low supply is a more serious and possibly life threatening problem. Also, there may just be more women with low supply than with over supply. Until seeing this interview, TM didn't even know the latter issue was a problem. You can imagine her surprise when the "problem" turned out to be HERS!
Tommy is baby number 7 in his family. His mother is not inexperienced with breast feeding. But switch feeding had always been very convenient and she never had any reason to try something different until she saw the foamy poops and dealt with the fussy baby. When first changing to Block Feeding, TM was using four hour blocks. This was not good because it was hard to remember. If the left breast was used from 12 to 4 a.m., it would end up being the right breast from 12 to 4 p.m., which was confusing. After only 2 days of that, TM assigned the block times currently being used and the problems associated with over supply went away.
Now Tommy gets access to the right breast for 6 hours, from 12 to 6 and the left breast from 6 to 12.
Within two weeks of implementing this system the foamy poops stopped and TM noticed a definite reduction in the fullness of the breasts. Naturally the milk supply was watched closely to make sure that a more drastic reduction did not occur. But the supply seemed to level off, exactly matching the demand.
For more info on Breast Feeding Oversupply Syndrome, or to get answers for other breast feeding issues, be sure to visit the link above.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Spotting
Tommy is the third baby this Mommy has worked with to establish Elimination Communication. Two out of those three babies experienced what TM calls "spotting".
As the name implies, spotting means that something leaves a spot. In this case, it means that a spot of poopy is left in the diaper. The spots are small, ranging in size between that of a dime and a quarter. (My apologies to all non-United States readers who won't be able to gauge the size of the spots being described based upon American coinage)
The problem of spotting is easy to manage with the Diaper Belt system described in the previous post. You may recall that the prefold cloth diaper is folded into thirds then placed between Tommy's legs; the diaper being held in place by mean of tucking it into/under the Diaper Belt in front and back. Upon arriving at the potty place, such as the bathroom sink, the diaper is untucked from the front of the Diaper Belt and removed from between Tommy's legs. It remains tucked in the back to keep it from falling off all the way - because we are assuming the diaper is still DRY and will not need to be removed.
At this point, if "spotting" is discovered, it is dealt with thusly: rather than just removing the diaper and putting it in the diaper pail, it is removed and re-folded so that the spot is contained within the folds rather than up against Tommy's skin or on the outside where it may contact TM's clothing. Ick.
In this manner, the diaper with the spot can continue to be used until it gets wet or gets another spot. This saves on laundry. Isn't that clever?
By now you be wondering, why does the spotting happen? I have my own mini-theory. It goes like this: the poopy is sort of watery in a young baby, and the liquid part of the poopy just manages to leak out of the anal sphincter. You will be glad to know that both of my spotters outgrew the problem by 3 or 4 months. And, as my second EC baby proved, the problem is not universal.
The big question TM had upon encountering the problem was, "Why isn't this problem addressed in the expensive books purchased on this subject?" The title of one of these books is Diaper Free. As the name implies, the author actually had her baby go bare bottomed. Either she didn't have a spotter, or she has an even greater tolerance for poopy than even she admits in the book. Even with leather furniture and no carpet, no one wants dots of poop all over their clothing and home. TM is not overly squeamish about poopy, but this phenomenon nearly caused her to give up ECing, thinking EC baby #1 had a physical anomaly.
Anyway, take heart if you have a spotter. The baby will likely out grow the spotting and in the meantime, you can use diapers to catch the mess.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Diaper Belt
Today I want to do "Show And Tell." I will both show you a Diaper Belt and tell you how it is used. My oldest daughter must be credited here, as she is the one who created the Diaper Belts I use. While I could make them myself, she was kind enough to do it for me, saving me the time and effort.
A Diaper Belt is nothing more than a piece of flannel, sewn as a casing with a bit of elastic threaded through it. It looks something like those little elastic headbands you see that are made for bald baby girls.
Here is a photo of Tommy wearing his diaper belt.
To use it for ECing, I simply put the Diaper Belt around his waist, take a prefolded cloth diaper folded in thirds and tuck into the Belt in front and back. When pottying the baby, I merely have to untuck the diaper from the belt in front and flip it out of the way.
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