I was very adventurous this March break.... I actually went on an 11 hour bus ride with--get this--a 7 month old and a 5 year old. Yes, I am crazy--but I was desperate. My husband was away for the break and I had to make the critical decision between being alone (cooking, cleaning, laundry, feeding, bedtime, bathtime, tantrum time...alone...) or dumping my neediness on my parents in Montreal. The only issue was the 11hour overnight bus trip that seperates us. When I say that the trip was a pain in the butt--I mean that literally. My bottom was so numb by like 30 minutes in that I thought about abandoning ship. The kids were good on the way up. The boob does wonders for plugging up a wailing 7 month old and the Nintendo DS--a lifesaver! It was hard--but I have learned some tips about travelling alone in these situations:
--A DS or other handheld game system--and the charger (don't forget!); books are also good
--Teething toys/hand held toys for baby
--Bring a wrap style carrier--they fold up small but can really help if you need to go into a store or get off the bus for the bathroom.
--Snacks...even overnight...bordome causes hunger, even at 4am
--Change--Tim Horton's might be your only option
--A bottle to pee in--this is a joke--but seriously, I never considered how I would get to the back of the bus in the event of an emergency...also, my 5 year old got stuck in the washroom...luckly there are friendly people on the bus...(you can't walk down the aisle on a moving bus with a baby!)
--Pillow-this may be the most important-you wont sleep otherwise
--Slip on shoes--you'll want to take them off
My biggest recommendation though is to stay home! I have to admit, I won't be making that trip alone again. It was too painful...seriously...
Friday, March 13, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Out with the Old, in with the New
Hello all,
Time flies doesn't it? My newest edition is now almost 7 months and has changed so much over the monthes. His skinny little body has turned into a roley-poley squishy one and his desire to always be held has developed into a desire to discover and play. He has also started solid foods--which he just LOVES. Although he only wants to feed himself and hold the spoon, which he passes back to me to re-fill with whatever mush he's eating. There is no creeping or crawling yet, but I'm sure that will come with new challenges. We have recently moved into a much much larger apartment and are no longer on the North Side. My older son now attends Connaught Street School, which is fantastic. I know he misses Nashwaaksis Memorial and his teacher, Mrs. Dane, but he is fitting in well at his new school. I also now look after one aftershooler who is only a few months older than my son. I would like to take in one or two more children from the school, but no such luck yet. I'm thinking about taking in a preschooler instead, so if anyone lives downtown and needs someone, leave me a message and we'll talk!
This new year has brought everyone extra challenges with staying on budget--well at least it has for me. Especially since I am now at home with my baby. Christmas time brought me a few money saving items that are really helping with this such as;
A food processor--for making my own organic baby food (which I love)
A large soup pot--for dollar stretching meals
An indoor Aerogarden--for growing my own herbs, tomatoes, peppers and salad greens
Cookbooks and chef's knifes--for making great meals at home instead of eating out
What kinds of products help you all save money? What kinds of things are you doing at home now to help with your budget? I would love to know your ideas!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
New Birth Experiences at the DECH
Wow! It's been a while since I've written. Understandably, I've been kind of focused on other things... I did have my baby at the end of July! The last time I gave birth was 5 years ago and let me tell you, things have changed at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital.
With my older son, five years previous, I found that the way things were carried out there was very old fashioned and not very mommy or family friendly. I did create a birth plan which was blatentky ignored. My request for no episiotamy was denied since the Doctor on call gave them routinely (i.e. whether or not there is a medical need). Needless to say, recovery was more painful because of this. Also,needles containing unrequested pain medication were shot into my ass without notifying me whatsoever. My baby was delivered down by my feet in the very unproductive and unnatural position of me on my back (no other option was allowed). Even though both my mother and my husband were there, niether one got to see the baby be born since they were made to stay up by my head and "out of the doctor's way". My husband did get to cut the cord, but then the baby was whisked away to be washed up, weighed, and put under a heat lamp. I don't kno who fed him, even though I requested rooming in and breastfeeding, someone must have fed him a bottle since he was not brought to me for a few hours. Me being very young and neive, I did not know I had options, that I could ask questions, or that I deserved explanations. Luckily, this experience did not much hinder the bonding that occured later in my hospital room.
Now, I feel that the DECH has really changed in the way it treats the birth experience. Whether that is because of a more recent trends for homebirths and midwives and calls to decrease unnecessary prodedures such as c-sections, I'm not sure. The birth of my second son was actually attended by the same nurse as my older son, so this new experience was not due to unique nursing staff. However, I did have a different physician who was open to me birthing in whatever position I felt comfortable, instead of the old laying-in-bed-pushing-against-gravity stance that only benefits the doctor himself. The only other reason I can think of for the change, besides a 'changing of the times' is that I was younger before and perhaps this created a prejudice against me whereas now I am at a more acceptable childbearing age of 23. The nurses allowed me to use aromatherapy, to labour in an upright position, even while they struggled to do routine checks on me (which they claimed was the first time they had to do it that way and they were 'lost'!) All I can say is that I am so happy with how things turned out. I could actually watch my son be born on my own, my mother and husband experienced everything along with me. The nurse was enthusiastic about following my birthplan and the nurses and doctor allowed the cord to stop pulsing before cutting it, while I held him (which my 'official' ob/gyn told me she wouldn't allow). I kept my baby for over an hour before he was taken to be wiped off and weighed and given the Vit. K shot while I took a shower. No drugs were pushed on me and only a light pain reliever was given upon my request. This experience has greatly changed the way I felt about hospital births (I had even considered unassisted homebirth briefly as I was so turned off by hospitals before).
Does anyone else have a positive or negative birth experience from the DECH? When was it? If you have two children, was there any difference between their births? What about young mothers, did you experience any prejudice? I love hearing about birth stories, so if you want, please share!
RMC
With my older son, five years previous, I found that the way things were carried out there was very old fashioned and not very mommy or family friendly. I did create a birth plan which was blatentky ignored. My request for no episiotamy was denied since the Doctor on call gave them routinely (i.e. whether or not there is a medical need). Needless to say, recovery was more painful because of this. Also,needles containing unrequested pain medication were shot into my ass without notifying me whatsoever. My baby was delivered down by my feet in the very unproductive and unnatural position of me on my back (no other option was allowed). Even though both my mother and my husband were there, niether one got to see the baby be born since they were made to stay up by my head and "out of the doctor's way". My husband did get to cut the cord, but then the baby was whisked away to be washed up, weighed, and put under a heat lamp. I don't kno who fed him, even though I requested rooming in and breastfeeding, someone must have fed him a bottle since he was not brought to me for a few hours. Me being very young and neive, I did not know I had options, that I could ask questions, or that I deserved explanations. Luckily, this experience did not much hinder the bonding that occured later in my hospital room.
Now, I feel that the DECH has really changed in the way it treats the birth experience. Whether that is because of a more recent trends for homebirths and midwives and calls to decrease unnecessary prodedures such as c-sections, I'm not sure. The birth of my second son was actually attended by the same nurse as my older son, so this new experience was not due to unique nursing staff. However, I did have a different physician who was open to me birthing in whatever position I felt comfortable, instead of the old laying-in-bed-pushing-against-gravity stance that only benefits the doctor himself. The only other reason I can think of for the change, besides a 'changing of the times' is that I was younger before and perhaps this created a prejudice against me whereas now I am at a more acceptable childbearing age of 23. The nurses allowed me to use aromatherapy, to labour in an upright position, even while they struggled to do routine checks on me (which they claimed was the first time they had to do it that way and they were 'lost'!) All I can say is that I am so happy with how things turned out. I could actually watch my son be born on my own, my mother and husband experienced everything along with me. The nurse was enthusiastic about following my birthplan and the nurses and doctor allowed the cord to stop pulsing before cutting it, while I held him (which my 'official' ob/gyn told me she wouldn't allow). I kept my baby for over an hour before he was taken to be wiped off and weighed and given the Vit. K shot while I took a shower. No drugs were pushed on me and only a light pain reliever was given upon my request. This experience has greatly changed the way I felt about hospital births (I had even considered unassisted homebirth briefly as I was so turned off by hospitals before).
Does anyone else have a positive or negative birth experience from the DECH? When was it? If you have two children, was there any difference between their births? What about young mothers, did you experience any prejudice? I love hearing about birth stories, so if you want, please share!
RMC
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