Comments for Birth | Pregnancy | Blog http://www.birthexperts.com/blog Child Birth and Pregnancy | Home Birth Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:56:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 Comment on Antibiotics and Breastfeeding by Sheilah http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/07/28/antibiotics-and-breastfeeding/#comment-199 Sheilah Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:05:32 +0000 http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/07/28/antibiotics-and-breastfeeding/#comment-199 Hello Krys, You pose and excellent question, and through my spotty Internet connection I've been having, I've discovered there are MANY articles in the medical journals about mastitis for me to wade through, so I've decided to dedicate a soon-to-be blog to the topic. Now to answer your question: As usual, I do prefer the most natural, least adverse possible way of dealing with such a thing. I do remember getting mastitis once, with my first baby. Being a dairy farmers daughter, I knew the best thing for me to do was to keep it milked out, so as difficult as it was (and kind of painful too) I expressed and pumped the milk out each time my baby was nursing on the other side. Fortunately, I only had mastitis in one breast. It took about two or three days, but cleared up without antibiotics. Now like I said, I'm a dairy farmers daughter, so I called my dad to ask him about his thoughts as well, because in all honesty, he has dealt with hundreds of cases of mastitis in his 40+ years of farming. Of course, he's not a doctor (I remind you, for that matter, that I am not either), and cows are bovines, not women. However, we are both mammals who lactate for the purpose of feeding our young. Dad felt that antibiotics were sometimes the only thing that could be done, but other times, he wasn't sure if they made any difference. When a cow gets antibiotics for mastitis, it goes directly into that "teat" and her milk is separated out from the rest of the herd's milk. Dad also mentioned that he noticed that feeding calves the mastitis milk tended to increase the likelihood that they would be more prone to mastitis when they grew up. So, antibiotics of not, I would not recommend nursing from that breast if you can help it. If you have mastitis in both breasts, I guess it is your call. How bad it is may have something to do with it, I will let you know as soon as I have finished my research to see what I can come up with for you. In the mean time, sure, sometimes there is a need for antibiotics. I had a need once when I was pregnant too. Like always, you have to weigh the pros and cons, learn as much as you can about your alternatives, and then make the decision that will work best for you and your baby. I hope this has helped you, and I will be blogging about this. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before, so thank you for the idea. Hello Krys,
You pose and excellent question, and through my spotty Internet connection I’ve been having, I’ve discovered there are MANY articles in the medical journals about mastitis for me to wade through, so I’ve decided to dedicate a soon-to-be blog to the topic.
Now to answer your question: As usual, I do prefer the most natural, least adverse possible way of dealing with such a thing. I do remember getting mastitis once, with my first baby. Being a dairy farmers daughter, I knew the best thing for me to do was to keep it milked out, so as difficult as it was (and kind of painful too) I expressed and pumped the milk out each time my baby was nursing on the other side. Fortunately, I only had mastitis in one breast. It took about two or three days, but cleared up without antibiotics.
Now like I said, I’m a dairy farmers daughter, so I called my dad to ask him about his thoughts as well, because in all honesty, he has dealt with hundreds of cases of mastitis in his 40+ years of farming. Of course, he’s not a doctor (I remind you, for that matter, that I am not either), and cows are bovines, not women. However, we are both mammals who lactate for the purpose of feeding our young.
Dad felt that antibiotics were sometimes the only thing that could be done, but other times, he wasn’t sure if they made any difference. When a cow gets antibiotics for mastitis, it goes directly into that “teat” and her milk is separated out from the rest of the herd’s milk. Dad also mentioned that he noticed that feeding calves the mastitis milk tended to increase the likelihood that they would be more prone to mastitis when they grew up.
So, antibiotics of not, I would not recommend nursing from that breast if you can help it. If you have mastitis in both breasts, I guess it is your call. How bad it is may have something to do with it, I will let you know as soon as I have finished my research to see what I can come up with for you.
In the mean time, sure, sometimes there is a need for antibiotics. I had a need once when I was pregnant too. Like always, you have to weigh the pros and cons, learn as much as you can about your alternatives, and then make the decision that will work best for you and your baby.
I hope this has helped you, and I will be blogging about this. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before, so thank you for the idea.

]]> Comment on Antibiotics and Breastfeeding by Krys http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/07/28/antibiotics-and-breastfeeding/#comment-196 Krys Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:16:44 +0000 http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/07/28/antibiotics-and-breastfeeding/#comment-196 I really like the idea of not ingesting things that could be passed on to baby, what are your thoughts about treating mastitis? Certainly there are ways to prevent this condition (and continued nursing helps) but wouldn't a sudden and intense onset warrent a need for antibiotics. So what are your thoughts about times when nursing and need for antibiotic treatment go hand in hand? I really like the idea of not ingesting things that could be passed on to baby,
what are your thoughts about treating mastitis? Certainly there are ways to prevent this condition (and continued nursing helps) but wouldn’t a sudden and intense onset warrent a need for antibiotics.
So what are your thoughts about times when nursing and need for antibiotic treatment go hand in hand?

]]> Comment on Book Review :: Emergency Childbirth: A Manual by nadja007 http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/06/09/book-review-emergency-childbirth-a-manual/#comment-195 nadja007 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:47:20 +0000 http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/06/09/book-review-emergency-childbirth-a-manual/#comment-195 I think this is a great book and I think this could be very big help for everybody. It is very important to have a guide on what to do for this kind of emergency. I think this is a great book and I think this could be very big help for everybody.
It is very important to have a guide on what to do for this kind of emergency.

]]> Comment on Pregnancy and Constipation Remedies by Sheilah http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/12/27/pregnancy-and-constipation-remedies/#comment-186 Sheilah Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:07:46 +0000 http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/12/27/pregnancy-and-constipation-remedies/#comment-186 Thanks for the added tips folks. Jennifer, I've heard lots of things, but this is the first time I've been introduced to the Black Bomb. Probably because it sounds pretty yucky and I don't know to many people that would dare try it. You must have been desperate and I am glad it worked for you. What were the portions you used? Equal parts? Now that I have looked into it further, I found a recipe that used 4 ounces of each. Now that I'm no longer pregnant, I have a cup of coffee and that seems to have a laxative effect too. If I drink more than that, I have to go more often! I never liked having much caffine while I was pregnant, but I suppose one cup to get me going again would be better than some of the alternatives, which could also be more harmful to the baby than caffine. Does anyone else have any input to add here? Thanks for the added tips folks.

Jennifer, I’ve heard lots of things, but this is the first time I’ve been introduced to the Black Bomb. Probably because it sounds pretty yucky and I don’t know to many people that would dare try it. You must have been desperate and I am glad it worked for you. What were the portions you used? Equal parts? Now that I have looked into it further, I found a recipe that used 4 ounces of each.

Now that I’m no longer pregnant, I have a cup of coffee and that seems to have a laxative effect too. If I drink more than that, I have to go more often! I never liked having much caffine while I was pregnant, but I suppose one cup to get me going again would be better than some of the alternatives, which could also be more harmful to the baby than caffine.

Does anyone else have any input to add here?

]]> Comment on Pregnancy and Constipation Remedies by Jennifer http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/12/27/pregnancy-and-constipation-remedies/#comment-185 Jennifer Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:35:01 +0000 http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/12/27/pregnancy-and-constipation-remedies/#comment-185 I am 9 weeks pregnant and found this remedy to be helpful. I had not had a bm in 6 days! It is called the Black Bomb. Mix prune juice, orange juice, and milk. In a 1/2 hour, I was able to go, and then some later on! Pinch your nose while you drink it! It works! I am 9 weeks pregnant and found this remedy to be helpful. I had not had a bm in 6 days! It is called the Black Bomb.
Mix prune juice, orange juice, and milk. In a 1/2 hour, I was able to go, and then some later on! Pinch your nose while you drink it! It works!

]]> Comment on Pregnancy and Constipation Remedies by Rudy Silva http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/12/27/pregnancy-and-constipation-remedies/#comment-163 Rudy Silva Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:39:21 +0000 http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/12/27/pregnancy-and-constipation-remedies/#comment-163 This is good advice for pregnant women to be very careful about what they do to get rid of constipation. Pregnant women tend to become constipated because the baby starts to press against their colon. Pregnant women for sure need to eat more fruits and vegetables and especially as snacks. They need to increase their fiber content to stimulate peristaltic movements in the colon. Rudy Silva, Natural Nutritionist This is good advice for pregnant women to be very careful about what they do to get rid of constipation. Pregnant women tend to become constipated because the baby starts to press against their colon. Pregnant women for sure need to eat more fruits and vegetables and especially as snacks. They need to increase their fiber content to stimulate peristaltic movements in the colon.

Rudy Silva, Natural Nutritionist

]]> Comment on What’s happening? by Kendra http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/08/09/whats-happening/#comment-114 Kendra Fri, 17 Aug 2007 21:04:51 +0000 http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/08/09/whats-happening/#comment-114 Thank you so much for the shout out Sheilah! It has taken me a while to get around to all my blogs, but I finally made it :) Isabelle is great and so is her big sister. Today she is 1 month old!!! Thank you so much for the shout out Sheilah! It has taken me a while to get around to all my blogs, but I finally made it :) Isabelle is great and so is her big sister. Today she is 1 month old!!!

]]> Comment on Antibiotics and Breastfeeding by Sheilah http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/07/28/antibiotics-and-breastfeeding/#comment-102 Sheilah Fri, 10 Aug 2007 04:26:42 +0000 http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/07/28/antibiotics-and-breastfeeding/#comment-102 Oh gosh, I hope it's better now, if not, try massaging your sinuses (it increases blood flow to the area which in turn helps, and it also "loosens" them up allowing them to drain) and don't let it persist too long. I've "flushed" with a brine mixture of mineral salt and water, but that's a last resort for me since I can't stand it well. Leaning over a steaming bowl with the same brine mixture has also proved helpful, but time consuming. Other than that, all I can recommend off the top of my head is Honey Loquat, like if you are coughing from it (Amazon has the same syrup so you can see what the jar looks like). I made a tea with it when I had a cold while pregnant with my first baby. It soothed a lot and the ingredients are natural and safe (so long as you don't have allergies to them or aren't taking any medications that might be affected by them). Good luck and feel better soon. Oh gosh, I hope it’s better now, if not, try massaging your sinuses (it increases blood flow to the area which in turn helps, and it also “loosens” them up allowing them to drain) and don’t let it persist too long. I’ve “flushed” with a brine mixture of mineral salt and water, but that’s a last resort for me since I can’t stand it well. Leaning over a steaming bowl with the same brine mixture has also proved helpful, but time consuming. Other than that, all I can recommend off the top of my head is Honey Loquat, like if you are coughing from it (Amazon has the same syrup so you can see what the jar looks like). I made a tea with it when I had a cold while pregnant with my first baby. It soothed a lot and the ingredients are natural and safe (so long as you don’t have allergies to them or aren’t taking any medications that might be affected by them). Good luck and feel better soon.

]]> Comment on Antibiotics and Breastfeeding by Kendra http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/07/28/antibiotics-and-breastfeeding/#comment-101 Kendra Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:36:18 +0000 http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/07/28/antibiotics-and-breastfeeding/#comment-101 Hmmm, very interesting (especially since I am currently breastfeeding and think I have a sinus infection) When I was pregnant my whole family came down with a virus. They all went to the doctor to get antibiotics but I decided I would fight it on my own. I just didn't want to introduce antibiotics into my growing baby's system. I had no facts to back up my thinking, however. Hmmm, very interesting (especially since I am currently breastfeeding and think I have a sinus infection) When I was pregnant my whole family came down with a virus. They all went to the doctor to get antibiotics but I decided I would fight it on my own. I just didn’t want to introduce antibiotics into my growing baby’s system. I had no facts to back up my thinking, however.

]]> Comment on Book Review :: Emergency Childbirth: A Manual by Kendra http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/06/09/book-review-emergency-childbirth-a-manual/#comment-100 Kendra Wed, 13 Jun 2007 19:01:37 +0000 http://www.birthexperts.com/blog/2007/06/09/book-review-emergency-childbirth-a-manual/#comment-100 I didn't even know there was a book about that! My doula has delivered 4 babies at home before the midwife was able to arrive. I feel I am in good hands if she is with me, but besides that, I'm screwed! hahaha. Maybe I should check out this book and have my husband read it! I didn’t even know there was a book about that! My doula has delivered 4 babies at home before the midwife was able to arrive. I feel I am in good hands if she is with me, but besides that, I’m screwed! hahaha. Maybe I should check out this book and have my husband read it!

]]>