Milk: Does it Really Do a Body Good?

This is for my own info and motivation to keep breastfeeding Baby Noah despite the troubles and busy daily schedule.

Source - http://drjaygordon.com/pediatricks/dairy.html

In August 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued an official statement about allergenic proteins in a mother’s diet appearing in her breastmilk and creating problems for her baby. They stopped far short of talking about excellent research showing that cow’s milk in the diet of a pregnant or breastfeeding woman creates even more problems than we ever thought for her nursing baby.

Breastfeeding moms get lots of advice about the food they should be eating while nursing their babies. I try to discuss this with the mom- and dad-to-be when we meet during a prenatal appointment. I often wish I could talk to more women before they become pregnant to discuss anti-allergy measures and other topics.

Please don’t misunderstand the incredible superiority of human milk for human babies. Infants who receive formula have more intestinal problems by far than infants who drink breastmilk. Uninformed medical practitioners have actually told mothers that their babies were “allergic to their breastmilk.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

Babies can be allergic to protein fragments from mom’s diet which end up in the milk, but if they are sensitive to those proteins, they would be much more affected by an artificial baby milk made entirely of non-human protein. Even so called “hypoallergenic” formulas are rarely any better. They are made of proteins broken down into smaller fragments to provoke less of a reaction. They are still allergenic and don’t solve the problem for many babies.

Common Symptoms of a Reaction to Dairy

• Green, runny stool
• Blood tinged stool
• Skin rashes
• Chronic nasal stuffiness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Excessive abdominal discomfort
• Cramping
• Coughing
• Mimic of GER (gastroesophageal reflux) symptoms
• Heartburn
• Spitting up
• Gassiness
• Constipation

Gassiness

Babies are gassy. That is an immutable fact caused by the need to double or triple one’s weight in a year. Try doing that yourself and see if you don’t spend a little time gassy.

I have seen the gassiest babies get better when moms removed dairy products from their diets.

Some babies seem to cry much more than others and their parents describe them as “writhing in pain.” Changing the nursing pattern helps some newborns and older babies if overactive milk ejection reflex (OMER) or a hindmilk/foremilk imbalance is the cause, but many more babies are helped when mom changes the way she eats. My list of allergens begins with cow’s milk and continues with eggs, peanuts, wheat and citrus. The most important change a mom can make is to stop drinking milk and eating things made with milk.

Blood in Stools

Babies with blood in their stool often stop having blood when moms stop drinking milk and eating other dairy products.

Cow’s milk protein irritates the intestinal lining and virtually always causes what’s called “microhemorrhaging.” Sometimes this bleeding is quite visible and helps alert parents to the need for mom to change her diet. Blood in the stool can be frightening but is rarely dangerous. It has a few other causes such as viral irritation, but the most common reason I have seen it is dairy allergy.

Eczema

Eczema lessens and often goes away completely when breastfeeding moms become dairy-free.

Skin rashes occur frequently in newborns and babies. The most common, worrisome, persistent problem is an allergic rash called eczema. Dermatologists and allergists describe eczema as not a “rash that itches, but an itch that rashes.” That is the first thing that happens and the first thing the parents may notice: increased irritability and “face rubbing” by their baby. They may also see a red rash which becomes more and more “angry” looking and eventually gets scaly and even bloody. Superficial skin infections can follow and be difficult to treat.

Dairy elimination is crucial. Long before you use cortisone cream, stop all dairy. Stop peanuts and eggs, too.

Constipation

Babies who are constipated often improve when dairy is eliminated from mom’s diet. Older children may also get relief from constipation with complete dairy elimination. In older children, studies have shown that some bedwetting may also be cured by dairy elimination. The allergic reaction to the offending protein in milk is exhibited in a variety of ways that affect the bowels and urinary tract. If your child is suffering from problems in these areas, dietary restriction should most certainly be considered prior to doing further testing or using medications.

Changing a breastfeeding mom’s diet or changing the diet of an older child eating solid foods will often lessen medical problems dramatically.

Cold Symptoms

Babies who have constant runny noses often get better when moms stop all dairy. Cow’s milk allergies may look just like “hay fever” at any age: stuffiness, cough, runny nose that seems to persist for weeks and weeks.

Older kids with ear infections often stop having ear infections when dairy is removed from their diets.

This has been a key intervention in my practice. I have cared for hundreds of kids who have taken ten or even twenty courses of antibiotics and even steroids. They were able to cancel scheduled ear surgery because they got better when they stopped drinking milk and eating cheese. The ear infections just plain stopped for many of the children and for others they decreased to manageable childhood illnesses rather than being a constant source of pain, school absences and incapacity.

Read more at: http://www.notmilk.com/mucus.html

GER (Reflux)

Before a baby gets evaluated for GER (gastroesophageal reflux), breastfeeding moms must eliminate all dairy from their diets. To some, this seems like a drastic step. It is far less drastic or invasive than the tests and medications for GER in babies.

When eliminating dairy and watching for a reduction of GER symptoms, patience is a key. The offending protein can take a few weeks to be completely undetectable in breastmilk. Many will see improvement within days, because the levels begin to decrease as a diet devoid of dairy is consumed. It is not unusual to see little change until two or three weeks after eliminating dairy.

The almost miraculous improvement in hundreds of troubled babies in 22 years of practice might be the strongest evidence, albeit anecdotal evidence, that I bring to the table. Does this work 100% of the time? No, nothing works 100% of the time, but dairy elimination is the single-most important advice I give to dozens of people each and every week.

Casein and B-lactoglobulin

The two proteins that trigger the biggest allergic response are casein and b-lactoglobulin. If your baby doesn’t get as much relief as you had hoped just from dairy elimination, read labels carefully. Soy cheese and many other foods that we expect to be dairy protein-free are really not. Even diaper creams may contain casein.

Read more at: http://www.drjaygordon.com/nutrition/dangerousfood/dairy

Increased exposure to allergens like dairy allergens can even lead to fatal reactions. Fortunately, the “minor” symptoms almost always go on for a long time before major reactions in almost all babies, children and adults.

Lactose Intolerance

The major “sugar” in cow’s milk is lactose and some people confuse lactose intolerance and cow’s milk protein allergy. Lactose intolerance evolves gradually after about age 7 or 8 years and is particularly common in those of Asian, Native Alaskan and African decent. Gassiness and bloating after drinking milk, eating cheese or ice cream occur in many people. Some choose to ignore it, others limit dairy and still others just use supplemental lactase (an enzyme) to lessen their symptoms.

Viral stomach flu can create temporary lactose intolerance.

We adults are clearly not meant to drink cow’s milk and the number of children adversely affected by dairy protein and dairy sugars is underestimated in mainstream nutrition books.

A very informative article in August 2000 issue of “Discover Magazine” features a discussion with T. Colin Campbell, an ex-dairy farmer now a Cornell University nutritional biochemist:

“The bottom line for Campbell is simple: ‘It’s unnatural to drink milk.’ Most adults in Asia and Africa, along with many in southern Europe and Latin America, have trouble digesting lactose, the main sugar in the milk of both humans and cows. Some suffer from bloating, cramps, or diarrhea if they try. A 1978 population survey, compiled by geographer Frederick J. Simoons of the University of California at Davis, suggests that it was only because of a genetic aberration that milk became a food staple in northern Europe and North America. Nature normally programs the young for weaning before they reach adulthood by turning down production in early childhood of the enzyme that breaks down lactose. But a gene mutation inherited by people of northern European descent prevents the production of this enzyme from being turned down. As a result, the majority of Americans can drink milk all their lives.”

This excellent, short article also talks about osteoporosis as it relates to dairy consumption: Countries with the highest dairy intake have the highest incidence of osteoporosis. This striking fact seems at odds with everything we think we “know” about calcium and nutrition. Osteoporosis is related more to calcium excretion due to salt and protein intake than to calcium deficiency in the diet. The entire article and the attached graphics are well worth a look.

Read more at: http://www.discover.com/aug_00/featmilk.html

Other Medical Experts on Dairy

Hundreds of medical articles and many books have been written about the problems with milk products in humans. The authors are physicians of great standing in the medical community. The late Frank Oski MD was head of the Department of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University and the editor of the Yearbook of Pediatrics. The late Dr. Benjamin Spock was the most famous and most influential physician of the past 100 years and many other doctors have participated in trying to bring dairy’s shortcomings to the attention of doctors and patients alike.

Dr. John McDougall often cites milk’s problems alphabetically:

Allergies (dairy is the leading cause of allergies in adults and children) and continuing with a discussion of . . .

Anemia. Again milk products are the number one cause of this problem because they cause blood loss and also interfere with iron absorption. Additionally, kids who drink lots of milk feel very full and often have no “room” for healthier iron-containing foods. Dr. Oski wrote many articles about milk’s role in causing anemia in America’s children.

Arthritis is the third on Dr. McDougall’s list and he documents published studies from the British Medical Journal, the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatology and other major medical journals. The mechanism of action involves antibody/antigen particles which lead to inflamed joints.

Atherosclerosis, or heart and blood vessel disease, make the third “A” on the list. Milk is the number one source of saturated fat in most diets. A further problem involves the antibodies formed against milk attacking the delicate lining of arteries.

Blood loss, constipation, and diabetes follow in alphabetical order. The medical evidence strongly points to early exposure to cow’s milk leading to an increase in Type 1 diabetes. I have seen constipation clear up in a matter of days when parents remove dairy products from their child’s diet and the intestinal blood loss from drinking milk (or exposure to milk protein through breast milk) is an accepted medical fact.

Read more at: http://www.ffl.org/html/milk_facts.html

Talking to patients about dairy products is a lot easier than it used to be because the “problems with milk” are better known than just a few years ago. Still, it’s hard to combat the $400,000,000 annual advertising budget available to the purveyors of dairy products. Milk does not “do a body good” nor build strong bones. It is a traditional food which has become a lazy staple of the American diet.

Children (and their parents) get healthier when they have fewer dairy products and are healthiest when they have none.

When I’m talking to older kids about making dairy a smaller part of their diets, I tell them that it’s kind of like an old Seinfeld joke: “Hey, look at those large animals in the field! Let’s go squeeze those things underneath them and then drink whatever comes out. Then, let’s take whatever’s left over, put it aside for a year or so and . . . eat it!” The kids respond with a hearty “eeeeew!” Even adults get it sometimes.

Colour of the Day

Whew... glad I found this article related to baby stool. Very useful info to moms out there too if you are concerned about your newborn baby stool.


Source - http://drjaygordon.com/pediatricks/general/poop.html

The Color of the Day: Solving Bowel Movement Mysteries

I have often asked parents not to bring poop samples into my office. While there is a lot of information to be gleaned from studying full diapers, I think I can do most stool analysis on the phone or online unless an emergency situation occurs.

There is a wide variety of color and consistency of bowel movements. In my glamorous job as a pediatrician, I discuss this hot topic every day.

A change of pattern can throw the most confident mom for a loop and can even confuse an experienced pediatrician. Babies have blood in their stool fairly often and it virtually never is the sign of serious illness, but I pay a lot of attention to this because it alarms parents and requires that a reason be found.

We shouldn’t be any more surprised to see a variety of bowel movements in our babies than we would in anyone of any other age. In breastfed babies, the mom’s diet can affect the color or consistency of a baby’s stools, particularly if the baby is showing an allergic reaction to a certain food or food group.

Sticky, tar-like and green or black
This is meconium. The first stools of a newborn will be this consistency and color. It is what is present inside the bowels of a newborn upon birth and will clear itself out within the first couple of days and represents the “byproducts” of building an entire human being for nine months.

Greenish or Yellow/Brown, grainy or seedy
This is the transition between meconium and a regular breastfed stool and begins as mom’s milk is coming in on the second, third or fourth day of life. There may be three stools each day, ten, or even twenty. Occasionally, even a baby in the first week of life will skip a day and have no bowel movements at all. Call your doctor to discuss this even though it is normal. This does not require a dietary change or supplementation of a breastfed baby.

Light yellow to bright green, loose/runny, curdy, lumpy, seedy, creamy, mustard-like
These are normal breastfed stools. The consistency, frequency and color vary from day to day. My wife described the smell as “curried yogurt”. Opinions on this odor description differ widely.

Frequent Watery Stool often “Greener” than usual
How can you spot diarrhea in a baby who has loose frequent stools every day? This type of poop is “diarrhea” in a breastfed baby. It can be due to a virus, a bowel infection, stress, anxiety or a food intolerance.

Hard, pellet – like, presence of blood or mucous
This is constipation in a breastfed baby and is so very rare that I cannot recall ever seeing it in a baby who is receiving breastmilk as a sole source of nutrition, as are most babies in the first six months. It could be related to a food allergy. Formula fed babies get constipated much more often and may even have harder bigger stools like older kids and adults. Getting these stools softer is a balancing act of great proportions.

Black stools often accompanied by constipation
This is the result of iron supplementation. Iron fortified infant foods and infant vitamins can cause constipation. A healthy breastfed baby does not need iron supplementation. The iron in breastmilk is much more bioavailable than any other form.

Red streaked stools
This usually comes from bleeding in the lower intestine or rectum. Most often it is caused by rectal fissures which are tiny “cuts” around the circumference of the anus. This can be a reaction to dairy in mom’s diet. Elimination of all dairy is the first line of defense in this situation. I have seen countless babies who had blood in their poop which resolved when mom stopped all dairy products and returned with even a small amount of milk or cheese. Other dietary changes may be needed for breastfeeding moms. Formula fed babies lose blood from the lower intestine when they drink cow milk formula and some have the same losses on soy formula. Occasionally, this “micro-hemorrhaging” can become visible as blood streaking on the surface of the stool. Persistent or increasing blood in the stool or blood mixed with mucus (described as “currant jelly” stool in the texts) requires an immediate call to your doctor.

Green, frothy stools
This can be a result of a hindmilk/foremilk imbalance. A true imbalance is rare. It is often seen accompanying a forceful letdown. Lactation consultants will help moms find a nursing pattern which works to combat this problem. If letdown it too forceful in the early weeks, the solution can be to allow milk to leak into a cloth diaper during letdown, then latch baby back on. Feeding two to three times off the same side may also show improvement. Caution should be used with same side feeding as it can decrease supply.

Green, mucousy stool
This can be a result of a virus. Often the only sign we see of a virus is in the green stool. This is evidence of malabsorption in the intestines. Watch for how many days and with what consistency it is occurring. With a virus, it will run its course over a few days and begin to improve.

Another cause of malabsorption in the intestines can be teething. The profuse saliva of a teething baby can cause irritation in the intestines interfering with proper absorption. When babies teethe, we can see lots of drooling. Large quantities of saliva is swallowed which can irritate the intestines causing runny, acidic stools. This can also cause a rash in the diaper area.

There is something important to point out regarding frequency of stooling in an exclusively breastfed baby. Many parents are concerned when after the early weeks where they may have been seeing a little bowel movement in almost every diaper, they suddenly begin to see days go by without any. This is perfectly normal. There is a great range of frequency of bowel movements with exclusively breastfed infants, ranging from a couple of times a day to several days. There are completely healthy nursing babies that have a bowel movement once a week, once every ten days, or even a few that go a bit longer. If your baby is healthy, developing well, nursing well and the consistency of the bowel movement when it does make its appearance is soft or loose, then do not be concerned. It is not constipation if it arrives in soft form. Constipation would arrive in pellets and hard formed pieces.

In summary, stools in breastfeeding babies are predictably green, brown, yellow or orange. It is runny and has curds almost every time. It changes color with viruses, may have a small amount of blood (call your doc) and may come once a day and even taper off to once a week or more after a few weeks of age. Formula feeding babies may show a little trickier set of changes involving constipation and diarrhea. This is just one small reason to strongly recommend and support breastfeeding your baby.

Public Breastfeeding – Indecent Exposure?

By: Organic Motherhood with Cool Whip (View Profile)

On September 4th, a breastfeeding rally was held in a Giddings Plaza on the North Side of Chicago in support of Lauren Trost who was harassed for nursing her seven-month-old baby Hank in the same plaza. The month before, Trost was in the plaza helping her sister to open a jewelry store. During the course of the day, Trost sat down to nurse her infant son in the public plaza and was approached by a woman who accused of doing something illegal and indecent by publicly breastfeeding her son.

Approximately fifteen moms nursed their babies simultaneously to show support for Trost and for public breastfeeding at the rally. Surprisingly, there was a great deal of positive media coverage of the rally, both on television and in local newspapers. My father sent me a link to an article in the Chicago Sun Times, which bore the title, “Breastfeeding Moms Rally to Support Hassled Woman.”

I was thrilled to see that the media has chosen to cover public breastfeeding in such a positive light. But what I found disturbing was that even though the media coverage was positive, 90 percent of reader reactions to this article were shockingly rude, hostile, or perverse. Other articles that covered the rally in a positive light also had extremely negative reader reactions. Here is a small sample of these comments (I retyped the posts “as is” with grammatical errors intact):

• Can we at least get an advance warning next time???? Geezzzzzzzz, I want to have a chance to get into my baby costume.
• How come it is never a hot mom in public breast-feeding? It is always some hippie, angry at the world so I won’t shave my armpit liberal that does this kind of thing.
• I just don’t think it’s proper for women to show their breasts out in public unless they’re on the beach
• 7 months old and still on the teet?something tells me she will still be doing it when the child is 14 months as well
• No wants to see these women breastfeeding. Have some discretion and get a life.
• I don’t see why Trost felt she needed to stage a demonstration. If she used discretion and covered her breas ts. I hope Trost knows she opens herself up to perverts and freaks (voyeurism) by just whipping her breas ts out in public.
• Does no one have common sense? Both these women sound like typical spoiled shrews. Breastfeed, but cover up and be discreet. And the other woman should have just moved on. 10 bucks says no one had to take off work to do any of this, just a bunch of bored housewives.
• Is there a waiting list? Or do you have to know someone. My qualifications: 52 years old lactose toleration own my own teeth post-nibbler syndrome (sorry) sleeps through the night also, are there government grants to become part of this program? Ill sit down and suckkkk my thumb.
• Why would you want to do something so intimate with child in public? Are you looking for attention?
• Anyone who is really against it should go there with information on breast pumps and formula alternatives and pass it out to women there. Can we get a sponsor here? I don’t want to see a 20 or 30 (or 40) year old woman’s breasts with her kid sucking on them. I just want to enjoy the neighborhood food and shops. Can’t you feed your kid before you go out? I guess that would be too intimate, private, and simple.

The comments from the readers reflect the real opinions of the general population here in the United States in regards to breastfeeding. Essentially, the public opinion about breastfeeding can be summarized in the following belief statements:

1. Breasts are sexual objects and therefore it is indecent to nurse, whether publicly or privately. Additionally, women who breastfeed publicly should feel ashamed of themselves and deserve the harassment, perverse comments, and other negative attention they receive.

2. Babies do not need to breastfeed. Formula is just as good.

3. Women who are stubbornly determined to breastfeed should at least remain at home because it is unnecessary, indecent and perverse to do so in public.

In a country where breastfeeding is actually on the rise statistically, it is interesting that general public opinion about the subject is still so pervasively negative. When did feeding an infant in the way God intended become a sexually perverse act? Why should a mother feel a sense of shame when she is doing the most natural thing a mother could do—feeding her baby?

I am a staunch breastfeeding advocate. I have nursed both of my sons past the age of two. I know that breast milk has enormous advantages for my children’s well-being (emotional, mental, and physical) but I have to admit that I still feel slightly uncomfortable when breastfeeding in public. Why do I feel this way?

The truth is two-fold. The first half starts with the advent of infant formula companies and their corrupt marketing strategies. According to the National Fertility Survey 68 percent of mothers born between 1911 and 1915 breastfed their first baby, compared with 35 percent of mothers born by the early 1940’s.

In the 1940s, evaporated milk formulas and commercial infant formulas began to seriously compete in the market. Commercial infant formula was touted as the new “scientific” way of feeding your baby which also liberated mothers from needing to be in constant contact with their infants. Women in the United States, as well as in other Western countries, rapidly accepted this new model of infant feeding and breastfeeding rates began to drop continuously from this point forward. At the same time, formula companies promoted their product in third world countries, ultimately leading to malnutrition, health problems and death in millions of infants abroad because of improper sanitation, weak or improperly mixed solutions of formula, and loss of the many natural benefits present in breast milk.

By 1971, breastfeeding the United States was at al all time low of 23 percent. Consider also, that this statistic includes any baby that was ever breastfeed, even a single time. It wasn’t until after July 4, 1977, when an enormous boycott was launched against Nestlé and other infant formula makers, that the public perception of breastfeeding began to improve again. Also, at this time, La Leche League and other lactavist groups began to rally to improve the public understanding of the real benefits of mother’s milk.

The second part of the equation is that while women’s breasts were no longer being utilized as they were intended (to feed human infants), media in this country became more and more explicit in using women’s bodies as sexual objects. Women’s bodies have become in our country an extraordinary tool for advertising, marketing and sales. As the standards for what is acceptable to appear on television deteriorate and you can see nearly naked women bumping, grinding and tantalizing viewers on practically every channel, it is not shocking that the American public cannot conceive of women’s breasts as anything but sexual.

At the same time, it is important to remember that this is a cultural phenomenon and does not represent anything more than the depravity, frivolity and density of American society. In plenty of other cultures around the world, women’s breasts are still perceived as utilitarian tools with which babies are nourished. None of the mystique and sexual aura surrounds them. Men and women of all ages congratulate women who breastfeed their children publicly and encourage them to continue for as many years as the children desire to do so.

In her wonderful, thought-provoking article, Breastfeeding in the Land of Genghis Khan, Ruth Kamnitzer talks about her experiences as a Canadian living in Mongolia. She explains that breastfeeding is not only accepted in Mongolian culture, but embraced, expected and encouraged. Children are expected not only to nurse, but to nurse “to term,” which could be anything from two to four years old and sometimes upwards of that.

In Mali, women go around topless, breastfeeding their infants without even a sideways glance from onlookers. Carolyn Latteier, the author of Breasts, The Women’s Perspective on American Obsession, wrote:

Well, we do have a peculiar obsession with breasts in this culture. A lot of people think it’s just the human nature to be fascinated with breasts but in many cultures, breasts aren’t sexual at all. I interviewed a young anthropologist working with women in Mali, in a country in Africa where women go around with bare breasts. They’re always feeding their babies. And when she told them that in our culture men are fascinated with breasts there was an instant of shock. The women burst out laughing. They laughed so hard, they fell on the floor. They said, “You mean, men act like babies?”

But the ultimate truth is we cannot escape from the society in which we live. It’s wonderful that breastfeeding is accepted and encouraged in other cultures, but if we live in America, we have to acknowledge the fact that many people are uncomfortable with watching mothers nurse their babies.

What is the solution? Plain and simple—more public breastfeeding. The more people see something, the more common it becomes, and the less it jumps out as a shocking anathema. So, get out there mommies and show those nursing boobies to the world. Breastfeeding moms everywhere will thank you and your baby will too.

First published September 2009

Find this article at:

http://www.divinecaroline.com/22108/82971-public-breastfeeding---indecent-exposure-

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Being able to breasfeed my babies up to now is a blessing for me - and still going to breastfeeding TeeTee until he is 1 year old or anytime he still want.

I think it's true to get more mothers to breasfeed their babies - we need to be open about breasfeeding - we need support from the society. After all it's God's gift to all mothers- to be able to nourish your own babies. I enjoyed talking to mothers in my office about the benefits of breasfeeding and really happy to see those who never breasfeed their babies are now breastfeeding (at least part-time).

It can be done even if you are working 8-5 or working away from home - trust me it's do-able. I'll bring my pump and cooler pack everywhere I go (even attending to a fire crisis in Sandakan recently). I know it's so out of the mind, but at the end of the day it's worth just to see my baby sweet smile and sleepy murmur at the breast.

I won these...

RM 200 Cash, RM 200 Hamper (from Johnson&Johnson),
Certificate and Silver Crown

I feel so proud, elated, adrenaline-rush, I-don't-know-how-to-explain feeling when the emcee announced my name as the 2nd prize winner for the "Outstanding Breastfeeding Mother Award" during the "Our Little Wonders - Our Future" Baby Contest held at City Mall today 06 June 2009. I registered TeeTee too for the baby contest. He cried as soon as he saw the judges (perhaps he was terrified by their un-friendly faces).

I didn't expect to win (though I hope to win) as there were so many people. I was tired and the kids need their afternoon nap but luckily hubby suggested we hang around a bit till the result is out.

We didn't manage to take any photo as me & hubby busy minding the kids.With 3 kids on-tow it's hard to move around, we even lost UaUa for a while when I went to take the prize.

I personally feel my breastfeeding experience really paid-off. Special credits to hubby too for the encouragement and support (especially when I'm outstation). Tomorrow, I'm going to watch the news. Most probably the news will come out in the Chinese paper. Heee... I'm just so happy.

I will post the photos once I got hold of it..

Taming Theodore

I'm doing this post just for my own record as well as reference for others who might need it.

Like the usual saying - taming a horse, some babies need to be tamed as well, particularly if one has been breastfeed exclusively for more than 3 days. Theodore is no exception, not to repeat the same mistake I did with his sister Moira whom I breasfeed exclusively for 1 month and then only introduce EBM(Expressed Breast Milk) in a bottle which she refuses to drink. So this time I try to introduce bottle earlier to Theodore at 1 week old. To my dismay he refuses to drink his milk from the bottle at even 1 week old!

When we went to check his jaundice on the 5th Jan, hubby suggested that I bring a bottle of EBM (just in case he might need them). So when we arrived at the clinic and the nurse finish taking his blood sample, we sat down and there I was trying to persuade a hungry baby to drink from his bottle. One senior nurse passed-by (after sending some hospital guests to the door) and asked why the baby not taking the milk. I told her that he is used to breastfeeding. So she smiled and said - let me show you the technique how to tame a breasfed baby taking their bottle. So here's the technique - she even taught me and hubby how to handle and properly bottle feed a baby and many other tips (really glad I met her but silly me forgot to ask her name).

(Perhaps if I have time I'll do the illustration later with baby Theodore)
1. Sit comfortably on a chair.
2. Hold baby head with one hand supporting baby neck. Baby held away from body in semi-recline position. (Looks more like sitting position)
3. Hold the bottle with the other hand. Place the bottle in between the thumb and index finger and use the thunb and index finger to hold the bottle. The other three fingers should be free to move.
4. When baby open mouth, push the bottle into baby mouth with the teat 3/4 or whole-length inside baby mouth. Put the three fingers below the chin and stimulate the baby to drink the milk by using the three fingers to lift the baby chin (so that baby closes his mouth).
5. Continuously use the three fingers to encourage baby to close his mouth with the teat inside his mouth until he begin to suck.

Baby may cry a little as a show of his preference- but it's a battle of the strongest - baby or bottle-giver. Once baby accept defeat, he will suck from the bottle.

It took around 15 minutes for the nurse to tame Theodore to take his bottle. Me and hubby were so delighted when at last he began to suck (can't believe can tame a baby like that). At first I was thinking of changing the teat to wide-neck size and other shapes, but since we manage to tame him I just stick to his ordinary teat. Ever since being tamed I give Theodore one bottle-feed daily just so he remember how to feed from the bottle. After my 1 month confinement, I will then breast pump to stock -up for work. I plan to fully breasfeed at least till his 6th month when we introduce solid food to his diet (dunno if I can last that long with the frequent outstation trips I have to make - we'll see how). Huhu... I'm now officially moo-moo in the house again.

Theo is 1 week old!

Time flies so fast and it's been a week since baby Theo first introduction to the new environment (other than the darkness in the womb). Here is his photo at 1 week...


He still looked bit jaundiced but he is feeding well and now start to have regular bowel movement. Hope this will help clear the bilirubin. Actually, Theo has undecended testicle (both left & right) at birth but I got one of the local masseurs to correct the position and lucky she managed to get one testicle down. The other one still a bit higher but I can see that he is finally wetting more nappies now as compared to the first few days only3 nappies in a day (Perhaps it was due to his testicle being undecended).

Theo is also exclusively breastfeed and I was quite amused at 1 week old he totally refused to suck the expressed breastmilk from the bottle. I guess I have to train him to accept bottle earlier - otherwise I would have problem when I go to work or outstation later.

Life is good at the moment after 1 week with a new-born baby - long break, spending more time with the kids but I was a bit sad that the school holiday is going to be over soon and I didn't do much things with Uaua - I have lots of plans of things to do with him but somehow it didn't materialised. The only thing that I manage to get him to learn is swimming which starts 28 November 08. It was his first time in the pool and having sensitive nose he sneezes all the time - poor boy.

Momoi is also pretty grown up now - I spend most of the time with her during the 2 weeks nursery break. Comparing her with Theo now I can't believe she has grown this big - I still miss the baby Moira. She is so adorable with her smiles, big eyes and chubby cheeks. She can sing A-Z, say 1-10, sing few nursery rhymes (in her own language) and can understand simple instruction. She eats on her own (starts taking solid - rice & family meal when Theo arrives). I can see she can be independent and loves her baby brother. I guess the timing is just right - the only thing that I didn't manage to teach her yet is potty training. At night, she still try to escape from her brother's room to our room to sleep next to me.

While Dodu (MIL) was busy bathing Theo I manage to catch Moira doing her funny stuff again - she took the small bucket and put on top of her head. MIL & I can't help but laugh... hehe...


Finally thanks to MIL for helping with bathing Theo and cooking delicious meals for hubby and kids. All this time I never get bored with my confinement food until I saw my MIL cooking in the house - I almost forgot I am only allowed to take my food. Thanks to Mom & Dad too for sending me my delicious confinement soup (so eager to have them- my favorite lihing soup) and bath daily and even stayed with me in the hospital until I delivered. I know mom is not feeling very well but she still stayed on. I am so lucky to have such wonderful parents and in-laws.

Here's a photo of MIL with Theo at 1 week. This photo was taken by our talented Joshua.

Phewww...

I went to get the GTT (Glucose Tolerance Test) result from Pathlab yesterday. I'm so relieved the result turn out OK... Within normal limits. I have also done similar test during my previous pregnancies and the result were also the same. In fact, my O&G tell me no need to do but I'm worried as my urine glucose is always high. So I did the test again - don't want to take chances.

Hee... so happy with the result that Me and hubby went to celebrate at Hana Japanese Restaurant, Citimall yesterday. But darling hubby reminded me not to eat anything sweet - good result doesn't mean I can indulge. Thanks darling for reminding...


Since I got family history of diabetes I'm actually cautious about my diet - normally I would drink tea or coffee without sugar. Consume less carbohydrate, but sometimes this can be very difficult especially during the festive season. Do more exercise (for me house cleaning is an exercise).

So until then, I pray that our precious baby is doing well and will be delivered healthy and safely.

This Brand or That Brand?

In the previous post, I was still balancing the pros and cons of the new formula Moira has been taking. Now that it's over 2 weeks she's taking the new formula and seems fine with the new formula, I'll most probably let her continue with the formula - Mamil step 2 (for 6 to 12 months) for another week before changing to Mamil step 3 (for 1 to 3 years).

The reason why we let her try the step 2 instead of step 3 because previously she is used to Similac step 1 which taste less sweeter and a bit plain. Whereas step 3, the taste is richer and much sweeter so to make the trasition smooth we let her try step 2 first. If she's fine with the taste and doing OK then only we try to change again to step 3 as recommended by the paediatrician.

Before this she has few reactions during her trial period with Mamil step 2:-

1. Very soft (like toothpaste consistency) and sometimes watery stool
- I thought maybe she's allergic to the milk or maybe it's diarrhea but the milk says the Oligosaccharide content can cause softer stool but didn't expect it to be like a newborn baby stool. Anyway, at least I don't have to worry about her having constipation like she used to with Similac.

2. Very often bowel movement
- she poo sometimes 3-5 in a day which is very unusual of her and more work for me and hubby.

3. Very bad rash on her bottom and private area
- It was really bad and very red and raw. I even thought rash almost become blister. I had to wash her private area with Lactacyd and applied the anti-fungal cream (twice daily). Fortunately, within 2-3 days her skin looks like normal again... whew.

After examining the above reactions and advice from the paediatrician, we finally conclude that reaction 1 & 2 maybe caused by the milk but reaction no 3 is caused by thrush / fungal infection due to over-use of antibiotic in the previous week to cure her bacterial infection. Also, since yesterday and today she poo-ed only 2 times a day and the stool is getting better in consistency, therefore reaction 1 & 2 is no longer a worry already.

So I finally decided to continue to give her Mamil step 2 for another week and then will switch over to Mamil - step 3 next week. Hopefully now that she's used to the taste, I shall have no problem during the changeover period next week.