Winning the Sick Kid Lotto

I am going to start this post with gratitude. September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and my child is, relatively speaking, healthy. I count my blessings every day.

And, since we're talking about it, we haven't had a particularly easy go of it. "It" being basic health.  I have, almost two years in, lost complete count of how often Baba has been sick. But, it is a lot. It seems she catches absolutely everything there is to catch. Even if there's nothing to catch and everyone around her is healthy as that proverbial horse, she catches it.

Thankfully, she's had only a small handful of seriously tough illnesses and most others have been colds or coughs. But, man those coughs. They are heartbreaking - especially when they last all. Damn. Night.

Backing up to about 34 years ago. This was me. To a T. I coughed my way through childhood and through young adult hood. And, now, I am the healthiest person to roam the earth (again, relatively speaking). Thankfully, I don't remember my own slew of illnesses as having a negative impact on my childhood. I was still happy. This gives me hope for Baba.

See, we're not going to keep her in a bubble. As much as I hate the constant onslaught of illness, I believe that I will do more harm if I keep her away from this opportunity to build her immune system. Unfortunately, she just builds hers a little more painfully than a lot of other kids. So, she's in full time preschool. She travels with us. She camps. She goes to Children's Museums. And, I am pretty sure she has gnawed on a grocery cart handle at some point in her life. Probably recently.

This world is just too amazing not to explore!

At this point, we've tried a lot. We embarked on a homeopathic journey about a year ago. I guess, at the end of the day, I don't know what I don't know. It could be working. But, she still seems to get sick. A lot. So, I'm on a quest to find a balance between constant medical intervention and going natural; so as to keep her comfortable but also to ward off these nasty bugs as much as possible - before they beat her down.

I was reminded last night that, although it's uncomfortable for any Momma to watch her child suffer, it is indeed building up her immune system and one day soon, she will be healthier because of it. Granted, it might not be as soon as I would like, but that day is coming. It has to.

I'm thinking I am not alone in this battle. But, it sure feels like it.

In addition to our previous attempts to avoid the steroids and cough medicine (with codeine - that can't be good!), we found a Naturopathic Doctor. We love her and she is quickly becoming my best friend. Baba doesn't know what to think about her yet, but I am pretty sure she is falling in love every day she goes without illness.

We've recently eliminated cow's milk dairy - a very common agitator of the respiratory system. One month in and it (knock on wood) appears to be making a positive difference.

I have hope. Hope that I can find a delicate balance between medicating and proactively warding off this constant slew of illnesses - naturally.  Hope that I can make small changes that have big impacts. And, hope that Baba continues to thrive, despite the snotty noses and hacking coughs.

Mommies Can't Get Sick

It's law, right? Mommies can't get sick.

We don't have time. We do so much. We don't have time. The kids always need us. We don't have time.

Last week, I got knocked down. By something ugly. I have no idea where it came from, but it literally caused me to sleep for over 24 hours. In the middle of that, I tried really hard to care for my child. I know I dragged myself from room to room, attempting to cook her healthy and wholesome meals. Attempting to bathe her and brush her teeth, when all I really wanted to do was crawl back into my cocoon and sleep it all away. I felt like I did pretty OK.

But, wouldn't you know it? I show up to school one day in the midst of my physical anguish, to pick her up and her teacher says, "We're not really sure why, but she was a little extra needy and clingy today."

All the bad mother alarms go off in my head. I know exactly why she was clingy and needy - because I have failed miserably at being attentive, loving and playful when I felt like death warmed over. Like ten miles of bad road.

Seriously? I can't even get sick.

Let's take a moment to briefly recount what happens when (most) Daddies get sick. They moan, they whine and they sleep. While we do everything. Moment over. We love Daddies. Just not when they're sick.

I was feeling so terrible, I even went to the doctor, which never happens. Ever. In fact, the last time I went to the doctor was six months ago when the same train wreck happened inside my body. They (the infamous "they." Will we ever figure out who "they" are?) could figure nothing out. Blood work? Fine. Internal organs? Fine. Everything appears to be fine.

Second lesson here: I need to take care of myself. Because, at the end of the day, I can't get sick. There's no time and my kid needs me. When on earth am I going to learn this lesson? Am I going to have to endure this physical torture every six months until I wise up and make little changes in my life to combat this crud before it invades me? I hope not.

But, if you're a Mommy, you should know this, too.  You can't get sick. There's no time for that garbage.

10 Reasons Why I Love My Squishy Body

I had been pondering this post for a bit and when I mentioned it to Tracy, my blogging partner, she said, "Ha.  I could never come up with 10 things I love about my body."  That was all the answer I needed to actually put the proverbial pen to paper on this very sensitive topic.

I haven't had the most loving of relationships with my body.  OK.  That's a gross overstatement.  I have spent the majority of my life hating the body that I continually look back at and think "Oh. I didn't look half bad there."  Half bad.  That's all I've ever been able to give myself.  Until I had a baby.

Crazy, right?  I was reading my weekly PEOPLE magazine - it's the "Most Beautiful" edition.  The one that usually sends me reeling into a fit of negativity surrounding my own beauty.  However, it appears that this one they have done just slightly differently although I cannot pinpoint exactly how. One segment is called "Naked at 34" and features five glamorous stars (tastefully) naked. It's not so much the photos that got me, but the introduction:  "A recent study reveals that women feel best about their bodies at age 34."  WHAT?  I am speechless.  I am also 34.

So, I thought, no time like the present to really take a look at what this body of mine has been able to and continues to accomplish:

1.  I can move.  I started with this one for a very good reason.  I want to forever be thankful to my body because I can move - I can run, I can walk, I can do yoga and I can lift weights.  (I said I can do all these things.  I didn't say I do them all.  Silly.)

2.  I made a human.  Seriously, people. I don't care if you're a Mom, a Dad, or neither - think about this for a minute.  Women MAKE humans inside of their bodies.  How absolutely stunningly incredible. My mind boggles.

3.  While making said human, I existed on apples and well, nothing else.  I had one of those pregnancies in that I threw up everything I ate and clothes-pinned my nose shut to avoid the constant nausea. Therefore, while I was making my daughter, I ate virtually nothing.  Want proof of that?  I ended my pregnancy 8 pounds heavier than I started. AK weighed just over six pounds at birth. And she was perfect. This means that, even with very little nutrients, my body was able to continue to do its unbelievably important job.

4.  Once born, I nourished said human by my body alone for seven months.  I exclusively breastfed AK for seven months before even beginning her first taste of solid foods.  My body actually MADE her food and kept her not only alive, but healthy.

5.  My after-baby body, although different, yes, still resembles the previous version.  Although softer, rounder and whatever else-er, it's still me.  I'm still 5'2" tall and on the petite side.  Even after stretching to accommodate my growing belly, I somehow still recognize myself.

6.  She loves to lay in my lap.  And, perhaps a small part of me thinks that my soft thighs or my soft belly make it even more comfortable for her.

7.  Her favorite body part of mine is my "belly."  She doesn't care that it's not flat, it's a little fluffy and rolls a bit when I sit down.

8.  I carry her in one arm while simultaneously doing 10 other activities.  This is certainly no attempt to bash Dads here, but have you ever watched them try to do this?  It's like they are physically incapable. When holding kids, they can stand still or walk forward to a single destination.  There is no feasible way they could empty the dishwasher, start a pot of water for pasta, get out a cup of teddy grahams and pour a sippy cup of milk all while holding a child.

9.  I have existed on far less sleep than any individual should be able to.  And, what I accomplish on so little sleep is next to miraculous.

10.  I don't have a hired team of 14 to make me look beautiful.  I get to do it all myself.  In the magazine article mentioned above, all five of those women sure were beautiful.  And, I can only imagine the number of people who contributed to that beauty.  My team is me.

Every day, my body is a reminder that I am a Mom.  And, there is no relationship in this world like the one between a mother and her child.  My body is a little jiggly, a little squishy and it's far from my ideal of perfect. However, it is beautiful because of what it has done, what it can do today and what it will do tomorrow. And, for that gift, I am grateful.

Oh, What a Relief it is?

What is it about a teeny, tiny tooth pushing through your baby’s gum that wreaks havoc on the entire household?  My first baby was an angel baby when it came to teething.  He would wake up in the morning, we would notice a new tooth, and on we went with our normally scheduled life.  Three of his 2 year-old molars were completely in before we even noticed.  Yes, I realize this is unique, and yes, I am forever grateful at how easy this was for us.  However, this presented a new problem when my second baby, EM, came along. A baby who certainly feels each and every movement of her little teeth as they break through her gums, because we have certainly felt her pain and anguish.  We have had, as a result, no clue how to deal with her discomfort.

The majority of our teething issues have centered around sleep.  With the first few teeth, EM was waking up multiple times a night and would be completely inconsolable.  The only thing that did sooth her was a nursing session.  Before I knew it, a month and four teeth later she was waking 2-3 times per night wanting to nurse.  At 11 months old.  So, yeah, we had to re-evaluate that method of comfort.  (But I will defer to our in-house sleep expert for those helpful tips.  Just know that they worked.) 

We had to get creative to comfort EM during her worst moments. Let’s just say that she is not one to munch on a cold teething ring and go happily on with her life.  The worse it got, the bigger guns we had to pull out, yet, I still try to keep it as natural as possible.  In order of severity of pain, I offer the following list.  (And, no, I am not paid to promote any of these products!)

1.      Boiron Camilia Teething Relief - This is a liquid homeopathic medicine designed to treat teething pain and irritability.  The main ingredient is chamomile.  I found it at my local natural food store but it is also usually available on Amazon.  Bonus side effect:  We have also used this, with success, to calm an out-of-control baby (or toddler) having a severe meltdown. 

2.      Hyland’sBaby Teething Gel – This is a benzocaine-free, all-natural gel for the relief of teething symptoms including pain, excessive drool, and irritability.  I have found this to be usually successful in soothing the pain, however, the effects do not to appear to last for a long amount of time.

3.      Orajel Single Use Swabs – The package says that this product relieves teething pain safely, effectively, and instantly.  Let’s just say that I tried it on my tongue before my child's, and it was like I got a shot of Novocain.  The numbness lasted for a decent amount of time too.  These swabs work very well and instantly ease EM’s discomfort.  I predict we use an entire box when her molars come in.

4.      Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen – I have used both of these pain relievers for teething pain and from what I have observed, the Ibuprofen has done a better job of both easing the pain, minimizing fussiness and irritability, and keeping EM asleep with minimal wakings during the night.

So, there you have it.  In my experience, giving one of the pain relievers (either Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen) along with one of the teething products I noted above was the most effective in relieving discomfort and minimizing the crankiness (read: screaming). 

Sofie - also fun for teething babies.

Combating Illness Homeopathically?

I need to begin this post by stating that I am beyond blessed that my daughter is wholly healthy - physically and emotionally.  I would be remiss if I did not call attention to this fact as I launch into this post.

I nursed AK for 13 months.  I did so for many reasons, from the fact that it was very simple for us both, to the fact that I enjoyed creating that bond to the fact that it is supposed to improve an infants immunity to illnesses.  Many of my memories of my childhood, although extremely happy, included illness.  I am asthmatic and suffered with allergies, chronic colds and ear infections for my entire life.  I wanted nothing more than to do whatever I could do to prevent my AK from following in these specific footsteps.

Unfortunately, it hasn't started out that way.  At three months old, she picked up RSV and her illnesses, although relatively minor comparatively speaking, have continued.  Now, at sixteen months, she has had croup, RSV again, pneumonia, the flu and more ear infections than I can count.  At this point, it's starting to feel like she is sick more than she is well.  In addition, the medicines she has been on are starting to make me sick - literally and figuratively.

About a month ago, I decided that I had had enough of the antibiotics, steroids and cough medicines.  Not that I was considering leaving my child to suffer when medicines would help comfort her, but I felt that there just had to be a better way.

My second caveat is that I don't know how all of this will turn out.  I can tell you what I am hoping - and that's that in six months I look back with gratitude for the more natural methods I am trying having worked. Whatever it is, I am committed to documenting this journey in the hopes it will help not only us but someone else along the way.

I have started this journey with the chiropractor (I will call him doc from this point forward).  I found one, who happened to be mine, and he has a specialty in infants and children.  The first time I took AK, she slept more like that proverbial baby than I have ever seen.  It was almost like she could finally rest easy with her body back in alignment.  After two adjustments, the doc got admittedly cocky and I got admittedly trusting. We thought maybe we were working with a little one who would respond beautifully to a few adjustments and immunity would be immediately increased.  We were wrong.

She got heaps of sicknesses, one after another and I kept her away from the doc for no reason other than fear.  When I finally took her back, doc gave me a little lecture encouraging me to bring her in immediately the next time she even appears to be getting sick.  In addition, we have started a twice-weekly adjustment schedule until we can get her healthy for longer than seven days at a time!

In addition to this very ancient form of healing, I am trying the following things for proactive health:
(Note, I am not being paid, in any way, to endorse any of these products or websites)

1.  Humidifier.  The human body likes moisture.  The natural air we live in lacks moisture - even worse in some areas such as my state of Colorado.  When attempting to combat an illness, the body then makes its own moisture - in the form of mucous.  Enter illness.  Therefore, using a humidifier keeps the body from going into mucous overdrive.

2.  Pro-biotic.  Many doctors and scientists believe that good overall health ultimately begins in the gut.  Therefore, AK takes a pinch of probiotic powder twice a day.  I mix it in her oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce, smoothie and she is none the wiser.
Here is the pro-biotic we use.

3.  Fish Oil.  Most children are deficient in DHA and EHA.  The omega-3 essentially fatty acids in fish oil.  These vital nutrients are crucial building blocks of child development and play key roles in every aspect of health.  They come in little gummies, which she of course, devours.
AK loves the tangerine flavor of these.

4.  Congaplex.  Sounds weird, but is simply designed to build immunity.  They are little chewables that I hand to her with her meal.
And the link to these little guys.

At the end of the day, I am thinking of this as a marathon to health for AK.  Although her illnesses are recoverable and I am forever grateful for that, I want her to experience a healthy life, even if she IS in daycare!

Stay tuned for updates...

Cleanliness - the ticket to good health!