Interesting Article

Today I read a CNN article that really intrigued me.... 

Desperate breast-feeding moms reveal secrets

By Elizabeth Cohen, CNN Senior Medical Correspondent

December 23, 2010 9:48 a.m. EST

Suzanne Reese found that when it comes to breast-feeding, sometimes doctors and counselors don't have answers.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• CDC: 75% of mothers breast-feed their babies soon after birth
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends moms breast-feed for at least a year
• One mother recommends lanolin to soothe cracked nipples and help milk's healing properties

(CNN) -- All newborn babies cry, but Anika Reese seemed to be in a category all her own. She screamed in pain nearly all the time, grabbing her own little cheeks so forcefully she sometimes drew blood.
Her mother, Suzanne, describes Anika's first four months as "living in hell with an angel."
"There are almost no words to describe what I thought was only some form of prison camp torture," Reese says.
Reese noticed her baby's stomach was swollen and her poops were green and frothy. Several friends and family members suggested it might be a problem with Reese's breast milk, and urged her to give Anika formula instead. But Reese was "hell-bent" on nursing and refused to stop.


Only 43% of moms breast-feeding at six months
Unlike Reese, many mothers, for various reasons, give up on nursing. While 75% of mothers breast-feed their babies soon after birth, only 43% are still nursing six months later, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends moms breast-feed for at least a year, but the first six months are especially crucial, says Dr. Lori Feldman-Winter, a spokesperson for the academy, since most babies that age aren't yet eating solid food and rely solely on milk for nutrition.

Breastfeeding habits in America

Reese was committed to nursing because of the significant health benefits to her baby: fewer cases of gastroenteritis and ear and upper respiratory infections, to name a few, and now a new study out of Australia shows some breast-fed babies do better academically later in life.
While it's not easy to overcome the hurdles of early breast-feeding -- whether it's sore nipples, a screaming baby, or a low milk supply -- Reese managed to do it.


Fighting for Anika
When she noticed Anika's belly swollen and strange, frothy green poops, Reese called lactation consultants, who told her all babies have gas and to be patient. Then, when Anika was 7 weeks old, Reese noticed blood in her daughter's stool.
The Reeses raced to the emergency room near their home in Ramona, California. Doctors gave Anika a barium enema to get a good look at her intestines.
The test showed Anika's colon was normal. The Reeses then took Anika to a pediatric gastroenterologist, who advised Suzanne to stop eating foods that might be bothering Anika. But Suzanne was already down to a diet of chicken, beef, sweet potatoes, and rice -- there was nothing more she could cut out.
Feeling like "a total failure," Reese still wasn't ready to give up nursing her baby. She called another lactation consultant, who listened patiently to her story and immediately offered this tip: pump some milk, throw it away, and put Anika to her breast.
"OVERNIGHT, we had a new baby!" Reese recalled in an e-mail. "INCREDIBLE! We were utterly relieved -- to the point of tears."
The lactation consultant explained Reese was producing too much foremilk, which is full of sugar and can irritate a baby's delicate gut if she gets too much of it. By pumping off the foremilk and getting rid of it, Reese was giving Anika more hindmilk, which has significantly less sugar.
"I was also utterly angry that we had to go through all of this when it was such a simple fix," Reese says.


Breast-feeding advice from moms who've been through "hell"
Reese found when it comes to breast-feeding, sometimes the experts who should know the answers -- pediatricians, lactation counselors -- don't.
"We're getting better at training residents to learn more about breast-feeding, but we still have a ways to go," says Feldman-Winter, a professor of pediatrics at Cooper University Hospital in New Jersey.
Reese is glad she kept looking for answers -- she's still nursing Anika, who turns 2 next month.
Various websites offer helpful breastfeeding tips, such as the American Academy of Family Physicians, pregnancy.org, and La Leche League International. In addition, La Leche League and babycenter.com offer forums where moms can seek advice from each other.
Here's what some mothers who have been through it have to say:


Find the perfect latch: Toni Taber of Los Angeles

Toni Taber, with daughter Molly, benefited from advice from a lactation consultant.

I was told breast-feeding shouldn't be painful, but it was. Eventually, painful became excruciating. I cried while I breast-fed; I bled. The doctor said my daughter, Molly, wasn't gaining enough weight, and told me to feed her on a schedule and record how much she ate. I pumped around the clock, and could only sleep 90 minutes at a time, because I had to pump to keep up with her needs. Once, I was so tired, my husband fed her formula. I cried. How could I fail?
I finally saw a lactation consultant who figured out that Molly wasn't getting enough milk because she wasn't latched on properly. The consultant literally took me in her hands and showed me how to latch the baby on. She taught me to take the baby off over and over until she was latched properly. She showed me to put one finger under her chin to feel her chin moving and look for a wiggle at her ears when she ate, and listen to her swallow. All of these signs I never knew about. When I went home, I was alone with my baby girl, and she was hungry. I was afraid to try on my own. What if I fail again? But I latched her on, and it was beautiful. She was so happy. It was amazing! Nine years later, and I remember that feeling. She nursed for over a year, and I've since nursed three more children, including the one I'm nursing now.


Use a little lanolin: Laura Wellington of Ridgewood, New Jersey

Laura Wellington, with son Ian, was relieved to learn she wasn't alone in breast-feeding difficulties.

I don't know any woman who would tell you, no matter how many children they have, that breast-feeding is "easy" in the beginning. Quite frankly, it's a nightmare and does not come "naturally" to mother or child (sorry for the disillusionment). I have five children and the initial stages of breast-feeding sent me gritting my teeth with each one of them. So swollen were my breasts and cracked my nipples, I wanted to cry.
With my oldest child, Ian, I was exhausted, feeling like a failure and the worst mother in the world in trying to do what I believe is the best for my baby. Thankfully, it was a man (my brother-in-law, Mark) who talked some sense into me, recounting the story of how his wife experienced the same thing. So I wasn't a freak after all! Eureka. He told me she literally wanted to kill him every time their daughter clamped down on her nipple. But then, she learned the value of lanolin to help soothe cracked nipples as well as her own breast milk's healing properties (a little rubbed on her nipple after a feeding coupled by air drying... it made a difference). I think the biggest relief that made all the difference in my continuing was knowing I wasn't alone. Believe me, prior to Mark's conversation, I bought a tub of baby formula that stared me down for days. In the end, I absolutely adored the bonding that I felt with each of my children once I got over the initial hump.


Breast-feeding is like sex: Candace Chang of Philadelphia

"I quickly learned that neither my baby nor I knew what we were doing," says Candace Chang, with daughter Talia.

As "natural" as breast-feeding is, I quickly learned that neither my baby nor I knew what we were doing. We had latching issues from the very beginning. Instead of really taking in the nipple and areola, she'd kind of suck it in like a straw. For the first time in a long time, I felt truly dumb. How could I not know how to do this? C'mon, a baby opens up and sucks on the nipple. What could be so freaking difficult about that?
Apparently it is, and the hospital lactation consultants (AMEN to them) helped us sort out our latch issues, but the very best advice on breast-feeding I received was from my pediatrician. He equated breast-feeding with sex, meaning the more relaxed I was, the better it would be. He told me to stop thinking about it, just do it, and it would all sort itself out in the end.

My girl was exclusively breast-fed for the first six months of her life, and I attribute much of our breast-feeding success to our pediatrician. I was encouraged to call the office, e-mail him, etc. E-mail! It's the best thing a doctor could have given me. The fact that my daughter's pediatrician respected my wish to breast-feed and tried very hard to calm my nerves is something for which I will be forever grateful.

Can you hear me?

Every night before we go to bed, David goes underneath the covers, kisses my belly, tells the baby "I love you.  You must love Jesus," gives him/her a daily lesson and comes out panting for breath.  It's a sweet gesture that often makes me wonder, can the baby actually hear him?

Obviously the womb is a pretty noisy place.  Much of the noise that reaches a fetus is its mother's own voice, movement, breathing and digestive processes.  Fetuses don't "hear" as much with their ears because their ears are filled with fluid.  Therefore, much of the noise is transmitted to their inner ears through vibrations in their skulls.  Studies have shown that sounds have a surprising impact on the fetal heart rate.  A five second stimulus can cause changes in heart rate and movement which can last up to an hour! 

I've debated whether I should purchase the belly headphones or even tape my earbuds to my stomach. 

Not only is it a bit ridiculous looking, but I really wonder if it's good for your baby?  It also begs the question, how loud is too loud?  And is classical music better than rap music?  You would think that since the music has to penetrate the abdomen, the volume would have to be pretty loud.  But it turns out, amniotic fluid is actually a good conductor of sound and it amplifies low-pitched sounds (like a bass guitar) by a minimal amount of about 3.7 decibels! 

Doing a quick Google search shows there's much debate on the topic.  Several early childhood researchers believe there is no direct concrete evidence that supports the theory that music stimulation prior to birth means a child has a higher intelligence in the future.  Other specialists say just the opposite.  They argue that there are direct studies showing once they are born, babies have the innate ability to recognize their mother's voices and may be further able to respond to familiar music.  

"Prenatal stimulation through music heard regularly while in the womb might provide some babies with a sense of confidence and relaxation after they're born.  While in the womb, babies learn to recognize and respond to different stimuli, which leads to encouragement of physical, mental and sensory development.  Stimulation exercises will allow Baby to communicate with you and your spouse through movement in the womb, establish relationship between specific stimuli (such as voices) and, most importantly, help develop memory."

Hmmm... what to do?

Gaining Pounds and Losing Brain Cells

Entering 18 weeks, I'm packing on pounds and getting dumber in the process!  On Thursday morning, I thought it was Friday.  Later Thursday evening, I thought it was Wednesday.  Now, this may not be that alarming, but it's definitely just a small example of how forgetful I'm becoming. 

Besides the intellectual fogginess, I'm also becoming (more) hormonal.  For example, the other day David brought home a small container of kimchi.  KIMCHI!? 


BARF

For those of you who are unfamiliar, kimchi is a traditional Korean dish composed of fermented cabbage and probably one of the worst things you could ever do to your pregnant hormonal wife.  The smell is absolutely nauseating.  Standing in a room full of kimchi while you're not with child, can make you gag.  Standing in a room full of kimchi at 18 weeks can make you want to crawl in a hole and die.  Needless to say, I think I blew a gasket.  I don't really remember how it went down, but I think I ran up to our bedroom, put my face in my Snoogle and cried....

Anyways, I apologized to David and we came up with a compromise to keep the kimchi in the garage.  Sorry husband :(

On November 30th, we had our 16 week check up.  We were able to hear the baby's heart beating again.  Doc says everything is going well.  Here's a video showing the "baby bump".  I think it just looks like I ate too much. 

At this point, the baby's crown to rump length is 5 1/2 inches, as long as a bell pepper!  I can't tell if I've felt the baby kicking yet.  Last week I felt sharp pains in my lower abdomen.  Shall I contribute it to the baby or gas?

Big Mistake

If you ever find yourself at the Couples Negril Resort in Jamaica, resist all temptation to take the $30 bus ride to Rick's Cafe.  For our honeymoon, David and I had spent a luxurious 12 nights at the adults-only, all-inclusive resort.  The day before we left, we decided to take a tourist bus to Rick's Cafe for supposedly the "Best Cliff Diving and Sunsets in Jamaica".  Indeed, the sunset was beautiful but this was nothing more then a bar on a cliff.   We had 2 options: drink more alcohol or dive off a 35 foot cliff.   By this time, we'd had our fill of free alcohol so we decided to take the plunge, but not before photographing the warning sign... 

The Irony

Pre-Death Jump

Turns out, I almost plunged to my death!  It's clear from the start, my technique was way off...bent knees and flailing arms...recipe for disaster. 

Poor Technique

Long story short, David and I flew home the next day.  I ended up in the emergency room, peeing white blood cells, 103° fever, a kidney infection and possibly a broken tail bone.

Now that I'm preggers, my tail bone feels like it never healed.  I wonder what it's going to be like to give birth with a broken butt?  Anyone know what this feels like? 

In hopes of relieving some back pressure, I decided to purchase the Snoogle.  I'm thinking about buying one for David, just because.  This diagram tells all...

Donut Deluxe anyone?

Final note, in the process of writing this blog, I did some research only to find an entire website dedicated to injuries incurred from cliff diving at Rick's Cafe! EEK.  Broken spines!  Broken sternums!  Loss of vision!

Final final note, if you're ever in a tropical location and you think you don't need sunscreen because you're Asian, YOU'RE WRONG!  Not only did I possibly break my butt on our honeymoon, I also acquired a 2nd degree sunburn (if such thing exists).



BAHAHA looks like David punched me in the face

The day after I give birth, I'm going to...

1.) eat a huge freaking chili cheese dog

2.) and drink a Venti Soy Chai Latte from Starbucks

New Car!

After a long and treacherous search, we've finally found a new car for David!  Introducing our new Subaru Impreza Sport Wagon!  Hope it's not too small for a car seat...

FEED ME

I recently purchased The Pregnancy Cookbook to help us prepare healthy/protein/iron/fiber rich dishes for me and the baby.  And since David loves to cook, he's taken a special liking to this book.

 

This weekend David prepared "Tofu, Brown Rice, and Eggs", a dish rich in fiber and good for the bowels people!  

Tofu, Brown Rice, and Eggs

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 main-course servings

Ingredients:

• 3.5 cups of water
• 1.5 cups of short-grain brown rice
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 (1-inch) piece of ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
• 6 ounces snow peas, strings removed, sliced into thirds (we used regular peas)
• 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 10 ounces firm tofu, pressed and crumbled
• 3 eggs, beaten
• Sea salt
• Black pepper 

1. Cook the rice in a rice cooker OR bring the water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan.  Stir in the rice.  Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer the rice until it is tender and all the water is absorbed, approximately 45 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add the ginger root and saute it, stirring often, until it is fragrant.  Add the red bell pepper and saute, stirring often, until it begins to soften.  Add the snow peas and the white part of the scallions and saute until the snow peas turn bright green.  Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. 
3. Add the rice and stir the ingredients well.  Add the tofu and continue to stir until well mixed.
4. Add the eggs and stir until they have set.  Stir in the green parts of the scallions.  Season the dish to taste with sea salt and black pepper and serve at once.

My Personal Chef

12 Weeks!

We've finally arrived at 12 weeks!  YES!  Morning sickness is still lingering but easing up.  Yesterday we had our 12 week appointment.  Doc says baby is doing well.  We were able to hear the heart beat and even a little kick!  She says the heartbeat is 166 bpm which is apparently a little high (normal range is 120-160 bpm). 

 

If you listen closely, before the video cuts off, the doctor says..."sounds like a girl".  There is an old wives tale that supposedly predicts the baby's gender based on how fast or slow the heart is beating. Supposedly, if the fetal heart rate is above 140 you are expecting a girl. However, if the heart rate is below 140, it is supposed to be a boy. Too bad there is no evidence or statistical proof to support this theory.  Guess we'll have to wait until the baby is born!

At 12 weeks...

• Baby develops reflexes!  Fingers open and close, toes will curl, eye muscles will clench and mouth will make sucking movements. 
• Baby's intestines, which have grown so fast they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into the abdominal cavity.
• Baby's kidneys will begin excreting urine into the bladder. 
• Crown to rump length is just over 2 inches long, about the size of a lime and weighs half an ounce!

 

Hello Fall!

Fall is the essence of Colorado.  Weather cools.  Leaves change.  Foliage far and wide!  This year we decided to try out Berry Patch Farms in Brighton.  It was a perfect day for pumpkin/berry picking and hanging out with the fam. 


I wore overalls for the occasion.

Hay Ride!

Little Choi's Cousins, Susannah and Aedan



"Porky" - fattest pig you'll ever see!



Every year I look forward to pumpkin carving.  It's a great time to set aside mundane thoughts and bring forth veiled creativity.  This year we had the added challenge of not using patterns.  As you can see we freehanded our designs.  David decided to carve a pumpkin within a pumpkin...a questionable motif...but in my opinion, it turned out great!  I, on the other hand, decided on a scary/ugly teeth/robber pumpkin. 

   



Final note: we were cruising through Target the other day, we stopped by the dollar bins for a last minute purchase.  This time next year, baby will be wearing these...

Aren't these the cutest socks you've ever seen??

Baby Fever!

Everyone has it!  Our families are getting plenty of practice.  Get excited Aedan and Susannah, you're going to have another cousin soon :) 

Future Grandma Choi

 

Future Grandma Wong



Aunt Sarah

 

Aunt Priscilla



Uncle Andy



Future Dad

8 weeks!

Nothing brings home the reality of pregnancy like catching a glimpse of a tiny human being moving inside of you.  Today, after a long awaited 8 weeks, we met with our OB for our first ultrasound.  Stupid us!  We forgot to bring our video camera for this momentous event!  Ah! 

In any case, I suppose ultrasound pictures will have to suffice! 

Anyone know if those are the baby's eyes?

Apparently at 8 weeks, little baby Choi has a "crown rump length" of approximately 16 mm long.  The "crown rump length" or CRL measures the fetus from the top of the head (crown) to the bottom of the buttocks (rump).  Adopted from the early 20th century embryologists who found that preserved specimens of early miscarriages assumed a "sitting in a chair" posture, ultrasonographers use this term (CRL) in early fetuses that also adopt the same posture in early pregnancy.  The CRL is highly reproducible and is the single most accurate measure of gestational age.  From 6 - 9.5 weeks gestational age, the fetal CRL grows at a rate of about 1 mm per day.  Oh and FYI, gestational age is the age of an embryo or fetus.  A common method of calculating gestational age starts counting either from the first day of the woman's last menstrual period or from 14 days before conception (fertilization). 

We're looking forward to our next appointment at 12 weeks on November 1st.  That means I'll be nearing the end of my first trimester.  Goodbye morning sickness!  I hope you magically disappear forever!!

Oh, I forgot to mention that today is David's 27th birthday!  Happy birthday to the best husband EVER.

For Women Only

For all you crazy ladies out there trying to get pregnant (or avoid pregnancy), I would highly recommend a book that was recommended to me by my good friend Sara (who's due in March) and my cousin Jayme (who just had her first baby last April).  

The book is called Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weshler.   It describes the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) as a

"...remarkable system of knowledge that uses your two basic fertility signs - waking temperature and cervical fluid - to accurately gauge when you are ovulating.  Such critical information serves as a window into your cycle, empowering you to practice effective natural birth control or pregnancy achievement, as well as to enlighten you on the entire array of life's menstrual mysteries.  Indeed charting your cycles with FAM will show you, among other things

• The difference between perfectly normal, cyclical cervical secretions and true vaginal infections 
• When to expect your next period
• Whether or not you are even ovulating
• Whether or not you are pregnant
• Your true due date, if in fact you are pregnant

It  is unfortunate that the Fertility Awareness Method is even referred to as a method, because in reality, it should be seen as a fundamental life skill that all women should learn"

This book is awesome.  The method works...or at least it worked for us! According to this book, our true due date is in fact May 24, 2011!  

Hello Blog World!

Yes, it's 2010 and I'm finally getting on the blog bandwagon.  Who knows how many people will end up following but I've decided it doesn't matter.  One day Baby Choi will look back and read this and that makes me happy.

It's an exciting time for the Choi's.  Here's an update...

As of September 14th, I'm officially married to an ordained minister!  What does that mean?  If there's ever a need for you to be married, baptized, take communion, or hear the benediction, then David's your man.  He's been studying so hard for his exam and I'm incredibly proud of him.  We flew out to Los Angeles so he could officially be ordained by his presbytery. 

We spent the rest of the week in San Diego and LA vacationing, eating and catching up with friends and family. 

3 generations of Choi's 

David and Grandpa (dad's side)



David's parent's, grandpa (from mom's side), and uncles (mom's brothers)

 

Friends from David's old church in LA

  

San Diego Zoo



Enjoying Hodad's with David and Janice


As our flight departed on September 18th, I felt so SICK I thought I had a serious case of food poisoning.  Dizziness, fatigue, nausea.  OYE.  I felt like death.

Turns out food poisoning = pregnancy and morning sickness = the devil.  Think of it as a bad hangover mixed with seasickness that lasts ALL DAY.  

The Monday after we returned (9/20/10), I took a pregnancy test and captured David's reaction...

Yesterday we had our first appointment.  They basically confirmed our pregnancy by taking a urine analysis and drawing 5 tubes of blood.  And the best part, they determined our due date to be May 16, 2011!