Happy Halloween

Jack

Oliver

Reed

Vaccinations

Do you as an adult keep your vaccinations up to date?  I was sitting here and thinking, those of us who vaccinate our kids (I'm not even going to get into my thoughts on people who do not vaccinate their children) do so because we want to protect them.  Did you ever stop to think that if your vaccinations are not up to date then you are putting your and other young children and babies around you a chance at exposure before they are able to be fully vaccinated.  Makes sense right?  Do yourself and everyone around you a favor and get your boosters.   They don't cost a thing and most of you can get them at your family doctors office or clinic.  I'm sure your local public health unit would be a good place to start if you don't have a family doctor.  And yes, my vaccinations are up to date.  Now to get Shawn to go and get his vaccinations up to date too.

October is Child Abuse Awareness Month

Kids Shouldn't Have to Live With Abuse

Each October Children's Aid Societies partner with other agencies in Ontario to participate in a province-wide Purple Ribbon Campaign to raise awareness on the prevention of child abuse and negelct.

Everyone has a legal and moral duty to report child abuse. Not only is everyone required to report known incidents of abuse, but also cases of suspected abuse.  CAS relies on the community to be the voice for those children who are unable to speak up for themselves. [Source]

If you know or suspect a child is in need of protection contact your nearest CAS right away.  Someone will answer your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Your call can remain anonymous.  Click here for a listing of Ontario Children's Aid Societies.

Postpartum Depression

I think I am ready to admit it.   I believe I have postpartum depression.  Although I have yet to see the Dr and actually be told I have this, I can check off quite a few of the symptoms.  Let me begin by saying this - IT SUCKS!
At first, I didn't think it could be it because Reed is 4 months old now and I figured it was something you got right from the beginning.  After doing some reading, I learned this is not true.  It can begin to develop at anytime during the first year.
I plan to bring it up when I take Reed in for his next well baby check up.  Because I don't want to take a prescribed antidepressant (I'm too afriad to), I have started taking St John's Wort as well as an Omega-3 supplement both which are supposed to aid with depression.
I do think that maybe, just maybe I felt this a tiny bit when Oliver was a baby but it wasn't anything that I thought warranted any kind of intervention.  This time though, it's way different.  Way worse.  Like worse enough that I plan to bring it up to my Dr and am actually taking something for it.
I have also started a running program (Couch-to-5K) because exercise is obviously an important factor in helping me fight my depression.  That and of course I have a billion pounds of baby weight to shed.
I'm not always the most open and honest about things like this.  Normally I would just keep it to myself but
I thought maybe talking about it may be of some help too. 
When the thought first occurred to me, I didn't want to admit it.  I guess you could say maybe I was a little bit ashamed.  I thought, I shouldn't be depressed.  I should be happy.  Elated even.  I have 3 wonderful, happy, healthy kids, family and friends who love us and a helpful (most of the time) partner.  What have I got to be depressed about?  Then I realized it isn't something I have any control over.  Well, maybe some control but let's face it, I'm not in the driver's seat.  It looks like I'm along for the ride with this one.  Hopefully it doesn't last too long. 

Breast vs Bottle - To Each Their Own.

After reading a couple of blog posts on the subject (here and here) I was inspired to write a post on the subject myself.  I don't know many other child rearing subjects that causes more debate then breastfeeding vs bottle/formula feeding. 
I am a bottle/formula feeding Mom and I am not the least bit ashamed of this.  I don't judge breastfeeding Moms because of their choice and it would be really wonderful if it were the same the other way around.  Think what you want about bottle/formula feeding but for real, shut the fuck up there is no reason for you to judge anyone else about choices they make for them and their families.
I will probably open up a can of worms here but I don't 100% agree with "breast is best".  I know I'm not a doctor or any kind of medical professional but my thoughts are strictly based on my experience of having 3 kids.
Here are my counter arguments to some of the reasons why breast is best.

Nursing provides a time of close personal and physical bonding between Mom and baby.
Guess what?  I have bonded perfectly with my children.  Even though it's a bottle in their mouth and not by boob, feeding time is still a time of close personal and physical bonding.  Guess what else?  For Daddy too.

Medical evidence is clear: breast milk results in healthier babies and stronger immune system.
I disagree with this one.  As I said earlier, I know I am not a medical professional but this is based on my experience of having 3 kids.  My kids are very healthy.  Aside from the common cold, they very rarely, if ever get sick.  Jack is almost 6 and has been on an antibiotic once and this was back in May for tonsillitis.  Oliver has never been on an antibiotic.  Neither of my kids have ever had an ear infection or any other illness.
Of course, all I can do is compare their health to the health of my friends babies/kids who were/are breastfed.

Babies who are breastfed go to sleep faster, and are more easily soothed than bottle babies.
Ha.  Again, I disagree.  Jack and Oliver were both sleeping through the night by 13 weeks.  Ask me about my friends breastfed babies who weren't sleeping through the night until they were almost 6 months old or older!!!  Oy. 

Breastfeeding is easier and less work.
Easier and less work?  This is supposed to be a deterrent?  I didn't realize washing bottles (which takes like 3 minutes) was a lot of work.  So I need to warm my kids bottle before feeding it to him.  This is a big deal?  This too is a lot of work?
From what my breastfeeding friends tell me, breastfeeding wasn't all that fun and easy for the first weeks.  Dreadful and painful infact.  Yes it did become easier with time but I still don't find bottle feeding to me hard or a lot of work.


These are just a few examples I often read and/or hear.  I'm not saying that one is better than the other.  My point is, they both have their pros and cons.  Like parenting isn't hard enough on it's own, and there aren't a million things you can debate and worry about, nobody should ever make anyone else feel bad about a choice they have made.  Because some of you Moms out there breastfeed, it doesn't mean that you are a better parent or care more about your children than us bottle/formula feeding Moms.  All I ask is that we all be respectful of each others choices.