Practical Update on Treating Illnesses!

Yesterday I posted about how I treat illnesses while avoiding the doctor's office and unnecessary medicine. Well, I got a chance to put it in to practice.

On Tuesday evening, the kids were outside playing and Owen came to sit beside me on the step. I leaned over to kiss him and noticed he felt warm-- not sweaty warm, but a deep internal warm. (Lips are a fantastic thermometer as most moms know!) He seemed happy so we continued to play, but when I brought the kids in for bed, I used our temporal thermometer and took his temperature. He did indeed have a fever. I gave him an extra drink before bed and placed it by his mattress so he could replenish his fluids throught he night as needed.

When he woke up Wednesday morning, he still had a fever. I made sure he drank a lot during the day. His appetite was slightly diminished so I made sure the foods he did eat were good foods-- yogurt, fruit, cheese...

He was restless at naptime, but since rest is so important to healing, I put him to bed an hour earlier that night.

When he woke up this morning, his fever was gone and his full appetite is back!

Treatment For Sickness

I was recently asked what we do in our house to treat prevent and treat illnesses ourselves if we try to avoid the doctor's office. Before I begin, I want to say that the most important part of being a parent is raising our kids to be Godly people. The other stuff pales in comparison! So you may not agree with everything I say, and that's okay!

The biggest thing we to do is avoid getting sick at all. I breastfeed the kids as long as possible, usually around 2 years. We also drink lots of water. The kids drink diluted juice once in the morning and milk a couple of times a week. The rest of their liquid comes from water. We also try to limit (not eliminate) sugar. We eat lots of fruits and vegetables. I am not germ-phobic, but we avoid overly germy places like the Chick-fil-A play area in winter (we go occasionally in warm weather) and the doctor's waiting room. We get fresh air and a limited amount of sun without sunscreen to soak up the natural Vitamin D. We wash hands, get adequate rest, etc.

Of course, all of that doesn't mean we never get sick. The kids have been extremely healthy, but they aren't immune to all illnesses! With colds, we try to avoid medicine. Mostly we just get lots of rest and push the fluids. Fluids help ease sore throats and keep yucky mucous moving along. I'll give a dose of Tylenol before bed if pain is interfering with sleep which is super important to getting better.

With ear infections, I don't have a firm policy. Thankfully, Gavin and Owen have only had 1 ear infection each. Maddie has had 4, I think. We have used antibiotics, but I also have used an ear drop (by Similason) designed to relieve pain while the body heals itself. It is just so hard to see a child in real pain!

For fevers, I don't do anything except push fluids and extra rest. We try to let the fever run its course and fight the infection. Again, I will use Motrin or Tylenol at night if it is interfering with sleep.

Desitin is the miracle cure for diaper rash! Just make sure you use Desitin: Original because it contains a higher percentage of zinc oxide than Creamy.

I don't like vaccines for flu, chicken pox, even measles because these are harmless diseases in the majority of cases.

I don't really use herbs or homeopathic things too much because I haven't done enough research on the topic. I try to let the body work and heal itself in most cases. We have used a homeopathic tablet for teething-- Hyland's Teething Tablets. I have also used Rhino pops a few times. (They are shaped like lollipops and contain zinc. It's a natural cough drop for kids.)

I hope this explains our basic philosophy. Just ask if you have more questions! If I have enough questions, I'll do a new post to answer them.

Feeding Babies and Toddlers

We have a firm no "real food" policy until after 6 months. I know the pediatricians recommend starting cereal, etc. at 4 months, but I don't see the point. Most babies don't have a bit of interest in eating at that age. It's just fun for the Mommy. I admit, I've been tempted. (My scrapbooking mind knows that my baby propped up in his highchair taking the first bite would a great picture!) We also eschew popular trends and have yet to use a bottle (even for expressed milk) with any of our babies. Of course, we're asked, "Then how do you and hubby get a night out if no one can feed the baby but you?" The answer: We can't and we don't...at least not until they are old enough to be content with something besides Mama's milk. So here's a look at our children's eating habits from birth through toddlerhood.

We start out with exclusive breastfeeding. No formula supplements, no water, no pacifiers. Our first two did take a paci when they were several months old (after b/f was firmly established) but both gave it up before a year. We chose never to offer Owen a paci at all. I always read about how breastfed babies need to eat every 2-3 hours. If I were only so lucky. Mine always eat at least once an hour in the beginning. Makes it hard to even take a shower. I became quite skilled at folding laundry while nursing, but that is beside the point! We also co-sleep with our babies so they nurse often at night, too.

At four months, the pressure is on. The doctor starts suggesting solids, the strangers start asking...but we resist. Gavin didn't take his first bite of anything until 7 months, but hated it! He didn't start eating a regular meal until 10 months old. Maddie was also 7 months when she had her first solids and she liked to eat right away. She has never been picky. She's my child who will try anything. She loves to eat-- even crumbs off the floor and any stray bite Owen leaves in his bowl! Owen was closer to 8 months when we offered him his first solids.

We have never used baby cereal. Sometimes I will grind own oatmeal and use that mixed with water or breastmilk. Usually, I just offer fruits and veggies, though. Anything soft and smushy will do. I've never bought jarred baby food either. Maybe I'm too thrifty. Maybe the jarred stuff just turns me off. I don't know. I've just never even considered buying it. I bought a baby food mill with Owen (for $9.99 at Toys 'R Us) that was great.

It grinds any soft food (bananas, beans, peaches, etc.) into baby food consistency (with better taste!). It's not a big deal because I just give the baby some of what we're eating. I don't have to cook a "baby meal" every night. Occasionally, if I grind extra of something, I will freeze it in an ice cube tray and thaw a bit for baby if I don't think they will like what we are eating.

Since we start solids so late, it isn't long before our children are ready for something beyond puree. Cheerios, bread, cheese cubes, shreds of chicken...

I continue to nurse through this time. The nursing do get spaced out, but I have frequent nursers. Because we never introduce a bottle, we go straight to sippy cups. We offered Gavin water in a sippy cup sometime in his second six months. He had his first juice at about a year. Maddie didn't drink anything besides breastmilk until a year. Owen was the same way, but he never could figure out how to use a sippy cup so we taught him to use a cup and straw.

So how about those dates with hubby? For awhile, we are content with dates with baby. It is not that hard to take a nursing baby out. Pop him/her in the sling and they are content. Eventually, the kids are ready to spend a few hours with Gran and Papa (and Aunts Kati and Bekah). It really depends more on emotional stability than nutritional needs. Gavin and Maddie were 8 and 6 months respectively. Owen didn't get left alone without Mama and Daddy until 10 months old...and that was after he was asleep for the night.

I practice extended breastfeeding so nursing continues into toddlerhood. It definitely takes a backseat to table food, though. Everyone is expected to sit with the family at meal times. No getting out of your seat when you're done. That is hard to enforce with 18-month-olds (ours have all rejected the highchair not long after their first birthdays), but it is necessary for good long-term habits.

I'm not saying my ways are the only ways. That's just the way we have chosen--the way that works for us. Happy eating!

Kids in the Kitchen

Teddy Grahams recently came out with a trail mix. It comes in a small 6 oz. box, but my kids adore Teddy Grahams so we thought we'd try it. Well, it was such a hit that the box was gone in 2 days! Being the frugal Mama that I am (or try to be), I decided we could easily make our own...and have a lot of fun doing it, in pajamas!

We used a half box of cheese crackers (generic Cheese Nips), a regular size box of Teddy Grahams, several handfuls of raisins, and a half bag of pretzels. The kids did all the pouring and stirring. So much more fun than buying it at the store!

Think Before You Speak

It seems as though people feel free to share their opinions with pregnant women more openly than they do with others. When do people ever say to an overweight woman, "Don't you know what causes that?" Or say to the man with three jobs, "I bet you've got your hands full!"? Or to the couple with multiple cars, "How many more of those are you going to have?" But somehow it is alright to say these things to someone expecting a child. Maybe these comments are meant to be funny or genuine, but they can be hurtful or at the very least irritating.

Having had numerous thoughtless comments directed my way, I try to be careful that what I say not be perceived as negative towards a pregnant woman or a woman with small children.

What good does it do to make a negative comment anyway? If a woman is happy with her situation, a less than happy response is disappointing and discouraging to her. And if a woman is unhappy or scared about her situation, a negative response will not be of any help. She needs encouragement, not more fuel for her emotional fire.

If we truly believe children are blessings, we need to believe it in all situations. They are blessings if they come as a first child or tenth child, to a married woman or an unmarried one.

Two Words That Don't Belong In The Same Sentence!

One day last week I was getting dressed when I heard Owen close himself in the bathroom. I knew I should go check on him immediately...but I didn't. He emerged about 2 minutes later with a toy wooden screwdriver in his hands.

"Mama, cook potty!"

On close inspection, I noticed the end of the screwdriver was wet...yuck!

My Etsy Sale

Everything in my Etsy shop is 20% off starting today!

Preparing For the Baby

With Baby Benjamin due to arrive in the fall, our house is busy with preparations. Well, not really busy, but as the day draws closer, the list grows longer.

With this being the fourth baby, we don't have many supplies to gather. We've learned to eliminate lots of baby clutter because it just isn't used. The bouncy seat, floor activity mats, etc. left our house long ago but we held onto a small fold-up swing so we'll get that out and dust it off soon. I need to wash my slings, too, because that is my prefered method of baby carrying. We did splurge and buy a Moses basket off of ebay last month so I'll set that up.

Brian will get the big box of baby boy clothes out of the attic at his mom's house. He also has to add a shelf in the boys' armoire to hold the tiny garments.

Nursing eliminates the need for bottles, but we do try to stock up on diapers. I was hoping to go cloth this time, but we've settled on disposables and we'll stash away an extra packs any week we have extra money in the budget.

In my dreams, I will cook a few meals to put in the freezer for postpartum. I have big plans but I rarely get more than a batch or two of bread and maybe a casserole set aside. Instead, we'll set aside a few dollars for take-out!

We're concentrating on getting the older kids ready for a new person in the house. I'm teaching them to do a few chores independently. Maddie has learned to dress and undress with no help. Still working on getting the shed clothes put into the hamper or drawer, though! Owen has finally moved into his mattress beside our bed and stays there all night (no crawling up beside Mama at 2 am!). Naps are easier now, too, as I can put him down on a floor pillow in the living room and he will drift off with me nearby. He has mostly weaned, although I didn't push the issue. I have tandem nursed before, but he decided recently he didn't want to nurse anymore.

I'll make a list of items to pack for the hospital. I used to pack ahead of time, but I put it off with Owen and then he came early and we had nothing ready! It kept me busy in the early stages of labor getting a suitcase packed so I will probably do the same this time. A list is necessary, though, when my brain is a bit foggy.

Fifteen weeks to go...

In Doctors We Trust? Part 2

Another aspect of medical care that women are mis- or under-informed about is childbirth. Our culture has taught us that having a baby is full of risks and complications when in fact it is a normal, safe part of life. Yes, there can be legitimate problems, but that is the exception, not the norm. Many inventions (IVs, artificial rupture of membranes, induction, C-section) are actually performed unnecessarily. Sometimes these things are done because the doctor is impatient, the woman is impatient, or the doctor is afraid of being sued (can we blame him/her in today's "lawsuit-happy" world?). But often interventions are performed because doctors and women have been conditioned to believe that childbirth can't happen safely by itself on its own time.

It is so important to read and be informed!

Obstetricians are trained as specialists and surgeons and are therefore taught to look for problems and what to do in emergencies. But what about a woman who is a week overdue? Is that an emergency needing induction? How about a woman in labor but who is progressing slower than average? Is there a problem with her body? And why is it necessary for every woman to have an IV when she is eating and drinking to keep up her energy (which is safe despite outdated policies)?

It is so important to read and be informed! Then you are equipped to make responsible decisions and not blindly trust what one doctor believes.

Brian and I recently watched a documentary on homebirth called The Business of Being Born. It talks about the medical aspect of birth and how it often works against women. So many people believe homebirth is not safe, but that is simply not true. Statistically, homebirth is actually safer than hospital birth! Women are more comfortable at home and are allowed to labor longer without fear of interventions that hinder or slow the birth process (epidurals, continuous fetal monitoring, etc.).

Most women decide against homebirth for various reasons. Personally, I have chosen a hospital birth because Brian feels more comfortable with that option AND a homebirth would not be covered by my insurance AND the fact that the closest homebirth midwife is 90 minutes away . (I already have to travel an hour to see my midwife who practices in a hospital.) But it is so important to be informed and know your options wherever you choose to birth, not just assume what you hear in the media or even from your doctor is true.

What do you think? I'd love to hear more opinions!

In Doctors We Trust? Part 1

Wow!

Remember me posting about entering a photo contest at Natural Mommy with this photo?

Well, I won! How cool is that?

Now I get a $25 gift certificate to spend at RG Natural Babies! Fun!