la la la la la...I can't hear you

If I read or hear one more article about how to prevent ear infections I will scream. These always suggest the same things: 1) don't smoke near your child - nobody in our house, or frankly, anyone we interact with, smokes; 2) breastfeed - did for DD#1 for 13 months, DD#2 for 10 1/2 months, and DS for 9 months -- the latter two gave it up themselves; 3) limit pacifier use after 6 months -- none of our kids used pacifiers - they are all self-soothers. And yet, all three suffered with multiple ear infections. #1 and #2 outgrew them by 1 year. My big man is the worst. He has had a ton of ear infections -- at least two of which lasted more than 6 weeks. His current one he was diagnosed with at his 1-yr well visit. He has now had this one for almost 8 weeks. We're on the 4th different antibiotic (and I know they say you don't need antibiotics, but we have to try something!!) We final got a referral to an ENT doc. He goes next week. I am a big believer in tubes, so I am open to that, if that is recommended. While I will panic about putting him under, I hate to see him suffer when his head is killing him.

Whatcha Reading?

So since I stopped breastfeeding, I haven't read much. When I was pumping, I would use that time to try and relax and read a book. Now, not so much. I am reading Word Freak, about the Scrabble Championships, but it isn't as good as I was hoping. Other than that my most recent books, are the Knot Fairy, Dora, and Junie B. Jones. If you have a kid, especially a girl, going into Kindergarten these books are GREAT! At first I was a little concerned -- the title character, is pretty much a big brat and uses awful language. I don't mean swearing or anything, but she calls lots of people "stupid" and "fat mouth", etc. But my oldest (who will go to Kindergarten in Sept) LOVES the books, and will say that she doesn't think Junie B Jones is very nice. I think they get that she is obnoxious and rude. We are already on book 6 of the kindergarten series (I think it goes to 17 or so) and there is also a First Grade series.

So..what are you reading?

Back from My Trip, Breastmilk Survived/Husband Suffered!

Yayy! So I went on a 3 day trip to Chicago for work. I was all stressed about travelling with breastmilk, but it was really not that big a deal. A friend in the office came up with the brilliant idea of shipping myself my freezer packs in our office over-night package. That worked great. So I was able to carry the pump and my suitcase on the plane without checking. Then I did my meetings, going to my room to pump, using the room fridge for storage, and the hotel freezer to keep my freezer packs in. Then, when I left, I got the freezer packs, put them in a cooler in my luggage, and checked it. Then after I went through security I was able to pump and keep it in my pump at room temperature. Worked fine.

Course my poor husband had an awful time. Pretty much when I boarded the plane on Tuesday, daycare called to say our oldest has pinkeye. He picked her up and tried to keep her away from the other two. So on Wed, she was at home with him and the others went to school. By 2pm they called to say Isabelle had it. Poor hubby he had to go get her, and call the dr for more antibiotics. So he could bring #1 back to school on Thurs, and keep #2 home, and pray #3 didn't get it. Poor guy. He was really a great sport about the whole thing. Both girls are doing fine and babyboy seems to escaped (for now).

Gotta love business travel..never a dull moment.

TSA Prohibition on breastmilk on airplanes

So tomorrow I have to go on a business trip to Chicago. My son is 7-months old, and I am still breastfeeding. Being a working mom, that also means I am pumping. According to the geniuses at the Transportation Safety Administration, breastmilk can only be brought aboard a plane if the baby is travelling with you. That is just crazy because for the most part, if you have the baby with you, the breastmilk can be contained in the breast for ready access by the baby. It wouldn't be in bottles of other containers. This is so frustrating. So..for my 2-day trip I have to bring a cooler and check my pumped milk. It also means that any milk I pump before I get on the plane tomorrow I have to drop off at home or daycare before I leave.

Nevermind the part about keeping it cold. So, i bring my pump with freezer packs on the plane to Chicago. Then I get a fridge in my room for the milk (which I don't want to freeze, because if it defrosts it has to be used within 24 hours, where if it is just kept cold is good for like 2 weeks) and try and keep the freezer packs cold in the little freezer. Or, ideally, I can put them in the hotel freezer. Then I check out on Thursday morning, putting my bags of milk in my cooler bag with the frozen packs...and am in a training class all day. So I pray my bags of milk stay cold, meanwhile pumping new milk that I am adding that will decrease the temperature in the bag. Then I take the whole thing (that is still barely cold), put in my hard-top cooler bag and insert in my luggage, which I will have to check in Chicago. I don't want to even think about what happens if they lose my luggage. Arghhh.

I had someone in my office actually suggest that I just don't pump while I am there, and pick up when I get back. I didn't have the energy to explain why this wouldn't work.

But I will do it, for my little guy. Who could resist this face?

Food...or not...weight watchers...

So I have rejoined weight watchers. It was VERY successful for me before I had kids. I also had lost over 25 lbs before we found out I was pregnant with #3 on ww, so I know it works. But..I am not convinced it works while breastfeeding. I am still nursing (and pumping, ughh) for my 6-month old. WW has a specific program for breastfeeding that basically gives you an additional 10 points a day. This seems excessive to me. So far I am losing weight...but I am not eating those 10 points. So far my milk supply is fine, so I am not worried. If I start to see a drop-off, I will definitely add more points.

So now I am on the quest to find the best low-point foods. My all-time favs are FF Jello Pudding, Sugar Free jello, and LF Cool Whip. I also have this recipe where you bake a banana (in the skin) for 45 minutes then take it out, sprinkle with cinnamon and top with LF Cool whip -- YUMM! I am currently addicted to edamame. I really love this stuff. My 2.5 year old tried some last night and loved it as well. She was eating it faster than I could shell it! Of course neither my incredibly picky 4.5 year old or my husband would try. Actually, he tried one, but quickly downed a cracker to kill the taste. Oh well..more for me! I also LOVE the ww one-point chocolate/caramel bars. YUMMY! DH suggested that I could eat almost a whole box every day for my extra 10 points...he should NOT suggest such things...