Ordinary Miracles

I remember years ago the movie "Charlotte's Webb" was released and it had a theme song called, "Ordinary Miracles" by Sarah McLachlin.  The term "Ordinary Miracles" is amazing when you really meditate on it.  What is an ordinary miracle?  What does that mean because let's face it, there's nothing ordinary about miracles. It is a miracle that we see every day. We see them so much that we may forget its a miracle or may not realize its a miracle.  As a result, we can take them for granted.  We can take them for granted so much that we forget to see the beauty in them.  Rain falling from the sky, the sun rising and setting, you breathing in and out, a flower blooming, etc.  One of the most beautiful "ordinary miracles" is the birth of a child and all that took place for that to happen.  Think about it.  You start off with an egg and a sperm and end up with a human being who can think, reason, and feel emotions. I once heard that to give birth to a healthy child with no complications is a miracle in itself.  So much can go wrong.  So much has to be exactly right in order for a healthy child to be born alive.  I'm no doctor, but think about the processes that take place in the body.  Hormones is just one aspect.  Hormones being off balance can cause you to miscarry your child or even can prevent you from becoming pregnant in the first place.  From conception to birth is a miracle.  Don't take the ability to have and to carry a child for granted.  It is a miracle. 

When I grew up, I grew up with many aunts, uncles, and cousins.  I watched and saw how things were.  I saw a couple get married and then have a child.  In my family, everyone has at least 2 kids.  I was never introduced to the fact of some women's struggle with conception or inability to conceive.  It wasn't until my last job that I was exposed to this reality and how common it was.  I met many women who struggled with fertility for years until they finally conceived and others never did conceive.  I think its way more common than we know.  Its just not talked about.  Women just don't walk to every person they know and say, "Hey, I had another miscarriage.  That makes six this year."  First of all, that statement isn't easy to make.  Even though the woman never met the child, that was her child.  She loves that child from the moment she discovers she's pregnant with that child.

I have been tremendously blessed and its not because I'm better than anyone.  I don't know why I've had no issues and others have struggled.  I've been pregnant 3 times and I have 3 healthy children.  There are some women like me who grew up longing for the time they would be "mom."  They get married, have a stable home, and start trying to conceive, but they can't or they do but lose the child.  We have to realize what a miracle it is to be able to conceive and give birth to a healthy child.  Lets never take it for granted.  Realize what a miracle you have.  When you give birth and hold that precious child in your arms, don't take that granted.  That baby IS a miracle.  A miracle took place in your body.  Love and cherish that beautiful miracle.

A Mother's Sacrifice of Love

I remember when my first child was born.  I was filled with many emotions.  I wondered how good of a mom I would be to this child.  Would I fail as a mom?  Would I succeed as a mom?  What kind of a man will he grow up to be?  All these things ran through my mind.  I thought of the responsibility that faced me.  The responsibility I had to this life to take care of all his needs, to comfort him when he was sad, to rejoice with him when he was happy, and to love and sacrifice my all for him.  It was my responsibility to teach him, to guide him, and to lead him in the right direction.  My every decision would now include what's best for him, not what's best for me.  I would have to sacrifice sleep, money, time, and my desires for what was best for him.  My whole point of view shifted when I became a mom.  Mom's are very important people with huge responsibilities. 

I remember when I was pregnant with him.  I had an abscessed tooth in my first trimester.  In the first trimester, a child is in his/her main developmental stage.  Its very important, especially in the first trimester, that you watch what you consume.  If you consume the wrong thing, it can cause birth defects, which would effect your child for the rest of his/her life. I was especially paranoid with my first pregnancy.  When my tooth flared up one night, I didn't even want to take extra strength Tylenol.  I was scared that I would do damage to my baby.  I didn't care about the pain.  I wasn't going to take a chance on hurting my child.  They did say it was safe, but in my mind, "what did they know."  I wasn't going to take a chance.  I was in so much pain.  Finally, my husband made probably the only statement he could have to make me take the medicine.  He said, "Not taking the pain medicine is causing stress on the baby and is more harmful than taking the medicine."  I was more concerned with what was best for him and not what was best for me.  Then I thought, "Would my son ever know of the sacrifice I just made for him." Would he ever fully understand the love I have for him?  Would he ever see the sacrifices I make for him?  This sacrifice starts as soon as we find out we are pregnant.  A mother's love for her child is indescribable. 

When he was born, he was beautiful (in a handsome way.)  He was my child, my baby forever.  He was healthy and everything went well.  They even discharged me from the hospital because they said everything was perfect.  But, they didn't discharge him yet because one more nurse had to look at him before he could be officially discharged.  She looked at him and walked out quickly without saying a word.  She and the nurse, who had been checking on us, came back in together and they looked at him together.  We were told that he had jaundice and the first nurse missed it.  We wouldn't be going home that day.  I was already discharged, but they let me stay one more night.  They would have brought him to the nursing station that night, but I wanted him.  He was kept under a light in just a diaper.  He hated to be unwrapped.  He cried and cried.  It broke my heart.  That night he kept pulling his eye covering off.  I kept putting it back on.  That night, I did not sleep at all because I was scared he would pull off his eye covering and become blind.  I thought, "If they bring him to the nursing station, they wouldn't watch him like I would."  Nobody loved this child like I did.  There was nobody better to watch over him than me.  Why would I send him away?  My whole desire was his well-being, not mine.  I didn't care if that cost me sleep, pain, etc.  I would do it in a heartbeat if that meant he was okay.  This may seem minor to most, but for me it didn't. 

Sacrificing for my children never ends.  Will our children ever know what we sacrifice for them?  We even give over our thoughts to them.  When we get away and have an outing by ourselves, we still worry about them.  We worry about how they are doing and what they are doing.  We think about them earlier that day and laugh at something funny they did or said.  Our whole thought system is filled with them.  And it doesn't end. 

This has taught me of the sacrifices my own mom has made for me.  Never take your mom for granted.  Never underestimate the love she has for you.  A mother will give and has given her all to make sure you are and you were safe, loved, and taken care of, even if that meant sacrificing everything for you. 

Would You Know What To Do?

A couple of years ago, my husband and I were faced with one of the scariest moments of our lives. We were faced with the fact that we may lose our child.  One day when my baby boy was about 1 and 1/2 to 2 years old, he was running around the house playing.  My husband was cooking dinner and I was doing the laundry.  Our little girl was playing on the floor.  My little boy was running into the laundry room as I was getting laundry out of the dryer.  I picked up the laundry basket and headed into the dining room where my little boy just ran.  I noticed my running toddler came to a complete stop.  I looked up and noticed, he wasn't breathing.  My thoughts came out of my mouth, "He's not breathing" as I started towards him.  My husband heard those words and looked at our boy and said, "I got him."  My 6' 8'' tall husband quickly made his way to our little boy.  He threw him over his arm so effortlessly as if he was a doll.  My boy was face down on my husband's arm with his head being held by my husband's hand.  With his other hand, my husband began to repeatedly hit my boy in the back in the middle of the shoulder blades with the palm of his hand.  He thought he heard our boy make a sound, so he turned him over only to see him turning blue and not breathing, but still conscious.  My husband went into panic mode at that moment even more so than he already was.  He realized our boy could lose consciousness at any moment.  He turned him back over on his arm and started hitting him harder and faster.  It seemed like eternity, but I know it wasn't that long before I heard the sound of a sucker hitting the floor and my son making a sound.  It was the best sound, the sound of my son breathing and crying.  I went up to my husband to grab our boy and my husband said, "no."  He then held our boy so tight and stood there and just held him a few minutes. My son was crying.  First of all, he just a few moments ago couldn't breathe. But also, his Pappa was just hitting him in the back so hard.  He thought his Pappa was hurting him, and he was, but he didn't realize his Pappa was helping him.

If you were faced with the same scenario with your child, would you know what to do?  We have been given precious gifts by God.  Their lives and well-being should be one of the most important things to us.  It is our duty as parents to know how to take care of our children to the best of our ability.  If your child started choking, would you know what to do? 

I was grateful that my husband and myself both were trained in CPR and first aid.  It was a requirement of our job to be certified in and take CPR classes every year.  I have met a mother faced with the horror of a child choking and didn't know what to do.  If you are a parent, please get the proper training to know how to handle these situations.  They do happen and at any moment, they can happen to you.  Not only should we know how to save our children in this situation, but we should also be aware of choke hazards and take the necessary steps to try to prevent something like this from happening.  But lets face it, they are toddlers/children.  Even if you are so careful, anything can happen in an instant.  Hopefully, our story will help others in realizing the importance of knowing what to do in a situation like this one. 

Breastfeeding: What you need to know!

Are you a new mom who chose to breastfeed?  If you are, then this blog will give you some helpful information.  When I had my first child, I thought breastfeeding was going to be easy.  I thought my baby would know what to do.  He would latch on and start sucking. But its not always that simple.  In today's society, breastfeeding is not a common thing as it once was.  Therefore, breastfeeding knowledge isn't as common as it once was.  Here are some breastfeeding tidbits that you may need to know and that I learned after breastfeeding 3 babies.

Colostrum

Your breastmilk may not come in until your baby is 4 days old.  At first your body will produce colostrum.  This is a highly nutritious substance that your baby needs.  But, your baby may only get a few drops of it at a time.

Latching

Your baby may need your help to latch on.  I remember when I tried to feed my baby the first time.  I couldn't get him to latch.  They sent someone to talk to me about breastfeeding and to give me tips.  I was told to squeeze the boob flat right above the nipple.  When I did this, my baby latched right away.  When you breastfeed your baby, you will notice that the baby doesn't just have the nipple in his/her mouth, but also part of your boob (the area right about the nipple.)  That area has to be flat to help the baby latch on.  An experienced nursing baby can probably latch on without your help, but for beginners, they may need a little help.  To unlatch your baby, place your finger in the corner of the baby's mouth and break the seal.

It Hurts

Breastfeeding does hurt.  The good thing is, it doesn't last.  The first two weeks are the hardest.  Once you get past the first two weeks, it should be easy sailing from there.  Other issues could arise, but for the most part, you shouldn't experience any more pain.  The only other pain you may experience is if you continue to breastfeed after the baby's teeth come in.  When this happens, they love to bite down.  This does hurt.  I stopped breastfeeding mine when their teeth came in, but I wish I didn't.  The first time my daughter bit down, it hurt so bad.  I stopped breastfeeding when that happened.  Others I know breastfed through that.  I have heard to keep your finger at his/her mouth and when you feel them about to bite down to put your finger in his/her mouth.  I heard this technique works to teach them not to bite down.  I haven't personally experienced this technique.  If you have breastfed through this stage, please feel free to comment below on what has worked for you.

Also, if you produce an abundance of breastmilk or haven't breastfed in awhile, it can hurt because your breast are full and engorged. 

Pumping                                     

I'm sure you've heard of pumping.  Some women pump and breastfeed.  Some choose to just pump.  But just like breastfeeding, its not as simple as you may think.  Pumping hurts worse than actual breastfeeding.  I would recommend not pumping for at least two weeks after the baby is born.  Pumping can interfere with the production of a good milk supply.  I pumped with my first from the beginning and I could hardly get any milk out when I pumped.  I couldn't pump with my son because I would only get about an ounce of milk each time I pumped.  It was awful.  I did read somewhere that your body does produce more milk with girls than with boys.  With my girls, I didn't pump for at least the first two weeks.  As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I didn't pump until I started work.  My first daughter was 6 weeks old before I went to work and my second daughter was 8 weeks old before I went back to work.  I pumped a lot more milk, especially with my second daughter.  It was nice compared to what I pumped with my son.  I also recommend not to pump for the first 2 weeks because of the pain.  If you breastfeed 2 weeks before you pump, then pumping won't hurt as bad than if you pump from the beginning.  Your nipples have toughened up a little after 2 weeks of breastfeeding.  But, the pumping will still hurt some at first. 

Breast and bottle feed

I was a mom with a full time job. I would breastfeed my baby when I was home and they were bottle fed at the babysitter. There is a thing called nipple confusion, but my babies never had that. Some babies, once breastfed awhile, will refuse to take anything other than mom's nipples. My son took the bottle and me from the beginning. But with my girls, I was not planning to bottle feed until I started back to work. In order to make sure they would take a bottle when I went back to work, I introduced a bottle to my girls when they were 2 weeks old. My first daughter wouldn't take her bottle at 2 weeks old, so I tried a different bottle. The only bottle my oldest daughter would take were the Similac nursing bottles from Walmart. She was only bottle fed a couple of times before I went back to work. My youngest daughter took any bottle she was given. She was only bottle fed about twice before I went back to work when she was 8 weeks old. The babysitters had no trouble bottle feeding them.

Cracking/Bleeding Nipples

Your nipples can crack and bleed.  They make a wonderful cream called "Lanolin Cream."  When you feel your nipples getting dry, rub that cream on and you should be fine.  I didn't know this with my first child.  One day I pumped and the milk was red.  It was because I was bleeding.  Is it safe to breastfeed with cracked bleeding nipples?  Here is a link that better answers that question:  http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-breastfeed-if-my-nipples-are-cracked-or-bleedi_10370374.bc


Babies can smell Momma's milk

Did you know that a baby can smell mom's milk?  All three of our children slept in the room with us.  Our oldest slept in the bed with us for a couple of months and then we moved him to the pack-n-play in our room.  Our younger two, slept in a bassinet in our room until we moved them into the crib in the other room.  My oldest was a typical baby when it came to sleep.  He wouldn't sleep more than 4 hours at a time.  As time went on, he slept longer and longer at night.  Our middle child was born sleeping 8 hours straight, but she would sleep 2 to 10 p.m.  I had to work on getting her days/nights unmixed.  My youngest was the worst of the three.  Her days nights were mixed, but her sleep patterns were weird and never the same.  There would be the rare nights she would sleep on her own.  But, mostly, she would only sleep at night if I was holding her.  This became rough being up all night with her and up with my 2 toddlers during the day.  I was telling someone about her sleep patterns and she asked me if she slept in the same room as me.  I told her, "yes."  She told me to put her in a different room to sleep.  She said the problem was she was smelling my breastmilk and wasn't able to sleep.  The first night I put her in the other room in the crib, she slept all night.  It was amazing.  Women don't have this knowledge today and don't know that all they have to do is put the baby in the other room to get a good night sleep. 


Breastfeeding is not common knowledge anymore.  Many women would benefit from having more knowledge about breastfeeding.  My experience with my younger two was a much better one because I understood more and knew what I was doing.  The oldest child really is the experimental child in everything, even breastfeeding.  Hope these few tidbits help breastfeeding moms. 

Breastfeed: Should I or Shouldn't I?

When I became pregnant with my first child, the question of whether or not to breastfeed was never an issue for me.  I was taught that is the way to feed your baby.  Its the design God set in place for a mom to nourish her child and to bond with her baby.  However, whether or not I would breastfeed was a question I was asked.  Every mom today is faced with the same decision.  Here are some pros and cons of breastfeeding that may help a mom who is facing this same decision. 

PROS:

Colostrum

What is colostrum?  I had never heard of this word until after my baby was born.  Colostrum is a natural 100% safe vaccine.  Colostrum is a substance that is produced before your milk comes in.  I was told when my child was first born that he was only getting a few drops of it at a time, but the few drops he was getting was providing him with all the nutrition he needed.  Here is a link that will explain colostrum and its benefits in more detail:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colostrum. 


Breast milk

Breastmilk is different for each child.  Scientific research has shown a difference in the quantity and content of the breastmilk produced based on the baby's gender.  For boys, the breastmilk produced is richer in fat and/or protein.  For girls, the breastmilk has more calcium.  More breastmilk is produced for girls than for boys.  I find this highly interesting. 

Antibodies are found in breastmilk.  It may take awhile for babies to make their own antibodies.  Through breastmilk, these antibody molecules are passed to the nursing baby.  The medical field knows that breastfed babies contract fewer infections than bottle-fed babies.  The antibodies a baby receives are targeted against the bacteria the mother comes in contact with.  When the mom comes in contact with infectious germs, the mom produces an antibody for that bacteria and transmits it to the nursing baby through breastmilk.  There are many molecules and antibodies that benefit the nursing child in many ways.  Studies show that breastmilk induces a baby's immune system to mature more quickly.  This is a good research for any mom considering breastfeeding.  I am only touching the surface.  I am by no means covering all the beneficial aspects of breastmilk.

The benefits of breastmilk are tremendous.  I always say, "God-made is far better than man-made."  When you actually do a study of the benefits of breastmilk, its amazing.  The benefits are endless. 

Here are a couple of links where I gathered my above information:
https://explorevaccines.wordpress.com/2008/08/21/breast-milk-and-antibodies/
http://americanpregnancy.org/first-year-of-life/whats-in-breastmilk/


Mom/Baby Time

When my first child was born, it was an exciting time for my husband and myself and also for our parents/in-laws.  My parents lived across the street and his parents lived about 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours away.  His parents stayed with us for about a week or so.  It was mine and my husbands first child.  Both of our families were just overjoyed.  They couldn't get enough of our baby.  But, it was my first child and I wanted one-on-one time with my baby.  That's one reason why I loved breastfeeding.  It was my chance to have that with my baby and to have bonding time.  I would be mesmerized watching my beautiful baby feeding and knowing I was doing something that was so beneficial to him.  The feeling is indescribable. 


Its Cheaper

We all know formula can be expensive.  Breastfeeding is a good way to save money.  You don't have to worry about running out of it, etc. 


CONS:

Its Not Easy

Breastfeeding is not always easy.  It can be very difficult.  I always say, "The good things in life require a lot of hard work and sacrifice.  They don't come easy."  This is so true, even concerning breastfeeding.  My son's first feeding was a bottle.  I remember it well.  I had never breastfed before, so I didn't know what I was doing.  He wasn't latching on.  And when he did seem to latch, he would spit it out and scream.  My baby was hungry.  Like I pointed out above, my breastmilk had not come in yet.  My breastmilk didn't come in until he was about 3 or 4 days old.  I was producing colostrum and he was only getting a couple of drops.  I couldn't take my baby screaming in hunger.  I gave in and gave him a bottle.  He inhaled his first bottle.  Even though I gave in at that moment, I was still determined that I was going to breastfeed my child.  I didn't give up on that desire.  They sent someone to my room to give me pointers and tips on breastfeeding.  One tip was how to get my baby to latch on. Once he latched on, I was able to breastfeed my baby.


It Hurts

Does breastfeeding hurt?  YES!  But the good news is, it only lasts for about 2 weeks.  I found pumping to be even more painful.  The first two weeks are the hardest.  Once you make it through 2 weeks, you should be pain free if no other issues arise.


Cracking/Bleeding Nipples

Cracking/Bleeding Nipples?????  Yes, that is what I said.  I wasn't told by anyone about the possibility of cracking bleeding nipples.  But thankfully, I discovered Lanolin Cream.  One day, I pumped and the milk was red.  That was blood mixed in with the milk.  I poured out the milk because I couldn't feed my baby blood.  I later discovered two kids later, that that is okay to do.  The blood just goes right through the baby.  In this particular case, I bought Lanolin Cream and stopped breastfeeding and pumping for 24 hours.  My baby took a bottle also, so I fed him formula for those 24 hours.  When my second child was born, I was far more experienced.  My baby latched on right away and I could tell when my nipples were getting dry and about to crack.  I rubbed the lanolin cream on before they had a chance to crack.  My nipples never did crack with my last two babies.  I prevented it before it happened. 


Not Socially Acceptable

Breastfeeding had become less and less common.  I think recently, it is picking up.  But, most women today don't breastfeed.  So, expect the negative comments, the disgust looks, talking behind your back, etc.


Working Moms

Breastfeeding and work don't mix well.  Some are blessed with jobs where you have your own office or private area you can go.  But, what if you're a cashier at a grocery store working an eight hour shift or a teacher?  Finding a "private area" and a place to store the breastmilk once its pumped may be difficult.  If you have no choice but to work (which is the case for most moms), then you may have to formula feed once you go back to work.  But at least your child received breastmilk for the first month or so of his/her life.  I was blessed to be off 3 months with my first child, 6 weeks with my second, and 8 weeks with my third.  I was also blessed to have my own office and own private place to pump at work. 


Doing what's best for our children is not always the easiest route, but it is definitely the most rewarding and beneficial route.  Looking back on my breastfeeding experiences, I would do it again in a heartbeat.  My only regret is not breastfeeding my babies longer than I did.  If you look at the pros and cons, most of the pros are for the baby (and I didn't list all of the pros for they are many) and the cons are for the mom.  There are no cons listed for the baby.  As a parent, we learn what true love a sacrifice is all about.  We have to sacrifice our time and comforts for what's best for our child. 

About Me

Over 4 years ago, I became a mom to a beautiful baby boy.  Since then, I have become a mom to 2 beautiful baby girls.  Having 3 children ages 4 and under definitely has its challenges, but its rewards as well.  In these last 4 years, I have been through many challenges as a mom.  One thing I have learned is that just like in life, determination is a key to being a mom.  If you aren't more determined for your child's well being than your own, then you probably shouldn't be a mom.  As a mom, I desire the best for my children.  As we all learn in life, in order to achieve the good things in life, it requires a lot of hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and determination.  Children are most definitely "the good things in life."  They are the best life has to offer.  They help us become better people in the end.  They keep us on our toes.  They teach us what love is all about.  I have learned that the best for my children is not the easiest to achieve and sometimes its not the obvious choice. I will be blogging on life experiences as a mom and how much determination, sacrifice, dedication, and hard work it takes to accomplish every aspect our children's lives.