Colorectal Cancer Is Killing More 20 to 30-Year-Olds. We Have Some Clues About Why
The burden of the disease is shifting to younger generations — and puzzling researchers.
March 31, 2019 at 10:51AM
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Sunday, March 31, 2019
Colorectal Cancer Is Killing More 20 to 30-Year-Olds. We Have Some Clues About Why
Colorectal Cancer Is Killing More 20 to 30-Year-Olds. We Have Some Clues About Why
The burden of the disease is shifting to younger generations — and puzzling researchers.
March 31, 2019 at 10:51AM
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Saturday, March 30, 2019
Two New Books, One Free Book: Minotaurs, Lactation, and Body Switching
I’ve got two new books out: I Married a Milk Hungry Minotaur & The Mommy Daughter Switch. Both short stories will be available on Amazon for $0.99 until April 1st, 2019.
I will also be offering Hucow Hostel for FREE on Amazon until April 1st, 2019.
I Married a Milk Hungry Minotaur
A short excerpt from I Married a Milk Hungry Minotaur:
When I woke, it was dark. There was a lingering scent of incense and smoke in the bedroom, but the flames had long gone out. I groaned as I pulled myself upright, which took longer than usual. I reached down to touch my aching breasts and it seemed to me that they were bigger, heavier than usual, and way more sensitive. As I touched them through my t-shirt, I felt a tingle throughout my body and a strange, sore sensation that I had never experienced before.
Hauling myself off the bed, I shook my head and wandered out of the room into our shared bedroom. As soon as I set foot inside, I stopped. My blood ran cold. The room looked as though it had been turned upside down. All the drawers were opened, the bedclothes were torn, the wardrobe drawer was off its hinges. As I wandered through the house, it was the same story in every room: complete devastation, as though a mini hurricane had hurtled through the house.
And then I heard it. A scraping, snuffling, snorting noise. It was coming from the basement. My heart pounding, I crept along the hallway to the basement door, and opened it a fraction, peering inside. I had to put my hand over my mouth to stop myself from screaming. There was a hideous creature that looked like something from a nightmare, with a bull’s head, red eyes, gleaming horns and a body that was covered in matted hair. And yet, as I looked at it in horror, I realized that it was wearing Jack’s trousers. And as it turned to look at me, I knew, somehow, I knew. It was Jack!
The Mommy Daughter Switch
A short excerpt from The Mommy Daughter Switch:
“Steve…” Sierra said as he walked away, but he didn’t reply. She sighed. What was she supposed to do? Should she follow him? Talk to him? Definitely not, her rational brain said. But then a thought popped into her head. Right now, she was responsible for maintaining her mother’s relationship. Wouldn’t it be wrong to negatively affect it, just because she was frightened of her own lust?
Against her better judgement, she fastened her robe tight around her and followed Steve into the bedroom. He was lying with his back to her. Tentatively, she sat on the bed, making sure she wasn’t showing too much leg, and then cleared her throat.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” she said, using a phrase she thought her mother might use.
He didn’t react at first, and then she felt his weight shift as he rolled over on the bed.
“Hey, that’s okay, he said,” and put his hand on her thigh. Immediately, she froze. As she watched, he slid his hand up her leg, lifting the hem of her robe.
“I…”
“Come on, Anna, we’ve got the place to ourselves. And I can tell you’re horny…”
“H…how?” replied Sierra.
“Your nipples are hard,” he said and brushed a hand roughly over her chest. At his touch through the silk of her robe, Sierra gasped. And before she could say anything, he leaned in and kissed her. His lips and his scent; the closeness of his body sent tingling pleasure through her. She could feel herself getting wet and if her nipples had been any harder, they would have burned through the fabric of her robe. And without stopping to think, she kissed him back; hard, passionately, like she had always longed to do, pressing herself against him.
“You know what I like,” he said, whispering in her ear, sending shivers through her body.
“What…?” she asked, breathless.
“Your mouth on my cock,” he replied. He pulled himself up onto his knees and lowered his shorts, and Sierra gasped as his huge cock sprang free. But before she could say anything, he had rested his hand on her head and gently pushed her down. She didn’t resist. Opening her mouth wide, she let her tongue lap all over his swollen head and savored his gasps and moans as he reacted.
With one hand, she reached down and began to stroke and cup his balls, squeezing a little and at the same time letting him ease his cock into her mouth. It tasted so good. It tasted so so much better than she had ever imagined. She slid her mouth down the length of his throbbing shaft and let his cock press against the roof of her mouth, against the back of her throat, almost gagging, before she pulled away again and began to suck him, harder and faster, her drool coating his thick shaft
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article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
Scandinavia May Not Be The Happiest Place On Earth After All
Scandinavia May Not Be The Happiest Place On Earth After All
A recent study shows people living in parts of southern Europe have a higher mental well-being than those living in the north.
March 30, 2019 at 09:53AM
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Friday, March 29, 2019
Ranking Juices By How Healthy They Are
Ranking Juices By How Healthy They Are
Surprise! Most juices are less fix-all tonics, more sugar-overdose fructose bombs.
March 29, 2019 at 12:15PM
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The Benefits Of Chronic Illness
The Benefits Of Chronic Illness
The sickly writer is a staple, a cliché, of literary history, enduring and strangely compelling.
March 29, 2019 at 12:15PM
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I Got An Apple Watch — And Now I Have A Cardiologist
I Got An Apple Watch — And Now I Have A Cardiologist
I now have a cardiologist. That isn't a statement I was planning to make in my forties. But there it is. And it's only true because of Apple Watch.
March 29, 2019 at 09:23AM
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A Documentary About Identical Twin Brothers Who Look Nothing Alike
A Documentary About Identical Twin Brothers Who Look Nothing Alike
The Pearson brothers were born with the same DNA and suffer from the same rare condition but they look and live so very differently.
March 29, 2019 at 09:16AM
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Thursday, March 28, 2019
The 'Dwarf Fortress' Creators Weren't in it For Money, But Now They Need It
The 'Dwarf Fortress' Creators Weren't in it For Money, But Now They Need It
For 12 years, "Dwarf Fortress" has been a free video game. It's finally coming to Steam, but only after rising health care costs forced their hand.
March 28, 2019 at 09:10PM
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My Quest To Understand What Caused My Children's Birth Defects
My Quest To Understand What Caused My Children's Birth Defects
A journey into my family history, the chemical industry and genetics.
March 28, 2019 at 02:33PM
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New York Sues Sackler Family Members And Drug Distributors
New York Sues Sackler Family Members And Drug Distributors
New York State laid out one of the most detailed and sweeping legal cases yet against the family that owns Purdue Pharma, maker of the opioid OxyContin, as well as the companies that distributed alarming amounts of prescription painkillers.
March 28, 2019 at 01:28PM
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The Worrisome Rise Of Direct-To-Consumer Medicine
The Worrisome Rise Of Direct-To-Consumer Medicine
Web-based health care could break down barriers to access. But it could also break down doctor-patient relationships.
March 28, 2019 at 09:10AM
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Help! My Baby Is Normal!
Disclaimer:
Of course if you are concerned about your baby please follow your gut. You know more about your baby than anyone. Seek one to one support from a breastfeeding counselor, lactation consultant, midwife, health visitor, or even your GP if you are concerned for your baby’s health.
It’s the fourth time your newborn has woken you in the night, they for a bit and settles. You think you are safe to but they down safely in the cot because that is what you have been told you must do for their safety, so you give it a try. The eyes blink and flutter, they give you disgruntled sounds, your eyes raise to the ceiling and you sigh. Why won’t they sleep? All your friends/relatives are telling you that they would sleep if you give a bottle and you contemplate it.
Wait…
Hold still there, in that moment. I can feel your frustration, your need for rest, you worry that your baby is not normal because they wake so often or won’t settle on their own.
Well, it is normal. All very normal. Doesn’t make it any less frustrating and tiring for you. It doesn’t stop those niggling little doubts that you aren’t doing what is right. But you are, you are doing all you can and all you should.
For 9 months your baby was a part of you, inside you, safe, warm, comforted. When they are born we expect them to be able to do something that they have never ever had to do before – be separated from you. We expect them to sleep on their own, without the comfort of the one person they know inside out and depend on.
Regular waking can be absolutely normal in a breastfed baby and it is often not true that parents get more sleep with a bottlefed baby (especially if feeds are made up to government guidelines [1]. Think about how you sleep in the night, I can guarantee you don’t always sleep through either. Waking is a normal sleep behaviour and in newborns is thought to be protective [2].
This does not last forever, sleep patterns change as babies grow, their time of needing you does change and you can get through this. It may be cliché but in the early days of your baby’s life it is important to have coping mechanisms for the lack of sleep:
- Resting during the day when your baby is sleeping is important. You may not be able to sleep yourself but you can rest by reading, guided meditation or mindful relaxations.
- Visitors during the day can wait until you want to see them unless they are coming to help you with household business.
- Get to grips with breastfeeding positions that will maximise your opportunities to rest like side lying or laid back positioning.
- Recognise when you need to have some uninterrupted rest and have your partner do skin to skin with the baby, or have a helper take baby for a walk during a time when you know that a feed is not imminent.
Have a look at these safe sleep guidelines from The Lullaby Trust. BASIS also have some great evidence based information on infant sleep. And UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative have a great little leaflet on how to cope at night.
It’s now 9pm and you’re 4 hours deep into a cluster feeding session. You’re tired. Nothing at this time seems to settle your baby except the breast so you move them from side to side. It’s not hurting, the positioning and attachment is great, your baby is growing, they’re weeing and pooing normally (if you are having any of the opposite of what I just said please seek breastfeeding support) but this cluster feeding is worrying you.
Is it normal? You worry that your baby is perpetually hungry, that you aren’t producing enough milk to satisfy them. You start to think about giving them a bottle to give yourself a break and to make sure your baby is satisfied.
Wait again…
Look at your baby, they are content to be near you. They are settled on you, they are enjoying being with you, reinforcing the connection that you share. Live in this moment if you can, it won’t always be like this. You won’t always have long cluster feeding sessions.
Cluster feeding at certain points during the day can be very normal. Your baby wants some comfort and security, they are trying to build up your milk supply.
If your baby is cluster feeding constantly it may be worth getting it checked out at your local breastfeeding drop in, with a breastfeeding counselor or a lactation consultant.
Being the soul source of nutrition for your baby can be overwhelming at time and it is normal to sometimes feel tapped out, that feeling of just not wanting someone to touch you for two minutes. There are some things that you can do to cope with cluster feeds:
- Once you know your baby’s pattern you can have things in place that ensure you don’t get caught out without something. Have snacks and a drink ready. Have a book/e-reader close by. Ensure your phone is within reach. Make sure your Netflix or Amazon Prime queues are up to date with the latest bingeable shows.
- Make sure that when your baby is having a break from cluster feeding that you stretch, move, have a change of scenery, go to the toilet. Don’t be afraid of also meeting your needs.
- If you know that you are reaching a point where you are feeling tapped out ask your partner to support you either by sitting next to you or taking over the cuddling task. Skin to skin with the other parent is an excellent way for them to bond and gives you time to catch your breath. You will be surprised how refreshed you feel after having 20 minutes of space. Maybe try a guided meditation like yoga nidra or a mindful relaxation. Focus on your breathing and center yourself again.
- Find a breastfeeding drop in that feels good for you. Find women who are having very similar experiences to you and know that you are not alone.
You are strong enough and you can do this
Parenting and breastfeeding are natural but in our society we have lost what actually constitutes as normal breastfed baby behaviour. You won’t make a rod for your own back, you cannot spoil your baby and you aren’t creating bad habits, this won’t last forever it will change and grow as you all move through this journey together. Right now you are doing what your baby needs and what on a primal level your body knows it needs to. A change in attitude surrounding your baby’s needs can lead to you accepting the actions that are needed.
But never be worried about asking for help, for recognising how tough it can be, sometimes even isolating. Listen to those around you but filter so you can only hear those that resonate with and explore what is right for you, your baby and your family.
[1] Amy Brown: How the myth of the ‘good baby’ is damaging breastfeeding
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The Life Expectancy Gap Between The Longest-Living And Shortest-Living County Of Each State, Visualized
The Life Expectancy Gap Between The Longest-Living And Shortest-Living County Of Each State, Visualized
In some states, the gaps in life expectancy are shockingly high.
March 28, 2019 at 07:55AM
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A Job-Scarce Town Struggles With Arkansas's First-In-Nation Medicaid Work Rules
A Job-Scarce Town Struggles With Arkansas's First-In-Nation Medicaid Work Rules
This community provides an early reality check on how hard it is to carry out President Trump's vision of a social safety net that requires most able-bodied people to work, or try to work, in exchange for government health benefits.
March 28, 2019 at 07:55AM
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Wednesday, March 27, 2019
What It's Like Using the Internet When You Have OCD
What It's Like Using the Internet When You Have OCD
For some people with OCD, it can make the internet an incredibly stressful, unhealthy and, in some cases, dangerous place to be.
March 27, 2019 at 06:54PM
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Male Birth Control Could Actually Happen. But Do Men Want It?
Male Birth Control Could Actually Happen. But Do Men Want It?
Some 400 couples, in nine cities worldwide, have worked a contraceptive gel into their daily routines. It is one of the largest investigations into hormonal male contraception ever.
March 27, 2019 at 02:41PM
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Here's Why Young Blood Transfusions Are Overhyped
Here's Why Young Blood Transfusions Are Overhyped
One of the leading companies in young blood transfusion was "sketchy at best" about the science — to the point where the scientists whose work it drew on got concerned. Then, the FDA entered the picture.
March 27, 2019 at 07:50AM
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Tuesday, March 26, 2019
The True Dollar Cost Of The Anti-Vaccine Movement
The True Dollar Cost Of The Anti-Vaccine Movement
Every grave illness and death is an individual tragedy, but the cost of vaccine hesitancy also enforces a shared public toll.
March 26, 2019 at 06:58PM
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This Drug Can Stop Mothers Bleeding To Death In Childbirth — So Why Can't More Women Get It?
This Drug Can Stop Mothers Bleeding To Death In Childbirth — So Why Can't More Women Get It?
We now know there's a cheap, safe treatment that could save thousands of lives each year. But those who need it can't always access it.
March 26, 2019 at 08:00AM
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Monday, March 25, 2019
US pediatricians are sounding the alarm on soda, calling for sugar taxes
US pediatricians are sounding the alarm on soda, calling for sugar taxes
The US organization representing doctors that care for children is taking a public stand against sugary drinks.
March 25, 2019 at 09:15PM
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5 Ways to Tell if Your Baby is Getting Enough When Breastfeeding
When parents feed from bottles, it can be really easy to see that the baby is “getting enough”. When a pediatrician says the infant should be consuming 3-4 ounces a feed, a parent can mix a bottle with 4 ounces and watch the baby consume. Breastfeeding is not as straight forward. It can be anxiety-inducing for even the most confident of parents not to “know” that their baby is taking in enough breastmilk. If you are aware of a couple key markers, though, it can be easy to feel confident that your baby is getting enough without having a scale in your home!
1. Number of wet and dirty diapers
The easiest way to tell If your baby is eating enough is by looking at their wet and dirty diapers. If they are eating enough, they will be excreting waste. Here is what to expect for the first 4-6 weeks of life.
| Wet | Dirty | |
| Day 1 | 1-2 | 1-3 |
| Day 2 | 2-3 | 1-3 |
| Day 3 | 3-4 | at least 3 |
| Day 4 | at least 6 | at least 3 |
| Day 5 | at least 6 | at least 3 |
| Day 6 and beyond | 6 or more | at least 3 |
Around 4-6 weeks, it is completely normal for a breastfed baby to have less frequent dirty diapers (some babies go up to a week without pooping)! As long as their weight gain is normal, it is nothing to worry about. You can check your infant’s weight gain with your pediatrician or lactation consultant.
The number of wet diapers per day should be at least 6, even when dirty diapers decrease in frequency.
2. Number of feeding sessions per day
- The Golden Rule: 8 or more in 24. You are looking to be feeding your baby at least 8 times every 24 hours. It is very common for some babies to feed up to 12 times per day (or more). This is also important for maintaining your milk supply.
- Growth spurts happen around 7-10 days of age, 6 weeks of age, 3 months of age, and 6 months of age – so expect to see increased nursing during these general time frames.
- As babies get older, it is also common for them to become more effective at nursing, and so they may decrease the number of feedings per day.
3. Changes in how your breasts feel after nursing (stop watching the clock!)
As your nursing relationship progresses, you will begin to notice changes in how your breasts feel during and after nursing. Many mothers can feel if the baby did not feed effectively because their breasts still “full” or “heavy”.
If you have a nursing session and you feel your infant did not feed well, you can hand express or pump to remove the extra milk and store it for use at another time (see info about milk storage and handling here).
If it is normal for you to feel that your baby did not effectively empty your breast or if your baby is feeding for abnormally long amount of time on a regular basis, you may want to seek out the help of a lactation consultant to ensure you do not experience plugged ducts or mastitis.
At any point, if you are feeling too “full” or “heavy” – even if your baby is between feeds and not showing hunger cues, you can hand express or pump just enough to feel more comfortable.
4. Infant behavior after feeding
For a healthy, term infant, being satisfied after nursing is an indication that they are getting enough. To tell if an infant is still hungry, watch for subtle feeding cues like rooting, mouthing at their hands, or smacking their lips.
Note: If you are a parent of a preterm or a late preterm infant OR if your infant has had previous weight gain issues, sleeping for more than 3 hours between feedings could be a sign they are not getting enough during breastfeeding. Please contact your pediatrician or lactation consultant in this situation.
5. Weight gain or rate of transfer
- The primary medical marker of “getting enough” during breastfeeding is weight gain. As a parent, you can request your child’s medical record (from your pediatrician or lactation consultant) and use their appointment weights to see if they are gaining well.
- You can also have a lactation consultant come in to do a pre- and post-feeding weight check. Scales used by lactation consultants are sensitive enough to tell exactly how many ounces a baby is transferring during a feeding session.
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Heartburn Gave My Dad Cancer. What About the Rest Of Us?
Heartburn Gave My Dad Cancer. What About the Rest Of Us?
Esophageal cancer related to chronic acid reflux is among the fastest-growing cancers in the US. Diet and weight are likely culprits, but what else?
March 25, 2019 at 10:46AM
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How Should I Deal With A Neighbor Who Thinks I'm Faking My Need For A Wheelchair, And Other Advice Column Questions
How Should I Deal With A Neighbor Who Thinks I'm Faking My Need For A Wheelchair, And Other Advice Column Questions
A roundup of the most interesting, thought-provoking and surprising questions that our favorite columnists addressed in recent days.
March 25, 2019 at 07:36AM
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Sunday, March 24, 2019
Animal Coven
Cece plays a prank on the coven and transforms (almost) all of them. BE, lactation, various mostergirl TFs.
“Oh, what the hec- mooooo!” Maddie shouted as unknown magic pulsed through the coven house. In moments, her t shirt was torn apart and her bra exploded as her tits–udders–burst through in their haste to swell. From basketballs they plumped up, past beach balls, past yoga balls, almost down to her knees by the time they stopped growing. Mooddie’s nipples swelled up as well, the fat nubs eagerly leaking milk as her additional cow features grew in- horns, ears, tail.
“Dammit, Cece,” the newly bovine witch grumbled. She heard murmurs of surprise and discontent from elsewhere in the house and stalked out of her room topless- Mooddie knew her magic probably wouldn’t reverse Cece’s easily. Leaving a trail of milk behind her, she went first to her neighbor Rose.
The door opened quickly after Mooddie knocked. “Like, nya~! Hi Mads!” Rose’s golden, fluffy ears twitched around as her tail shook from seeing one of her best friends. “You’re changed too, nya?”
Mooddie rolled her eyes. “Yeah. I’m pretty sure it was Cece. Who else?”
Rose’s eyes scanned Mooddie’s body, slit-pupils landing on the cow’s nipples and hugely dilating. The catgirl licked her lips watching the creamy liquid drip.
“No, Rose- control yourself. Please.”
“Buuuuut, nya, I’m a cat! I want milk, nya!” She stepped towards Mooddie, hips wiggling, before she pounced, landing on top of the cow, her lips quickly latching onto her target.
“N- Rose! Stop- mooooo!” Mooddie was helpless as her body fought against her will, her muscles relaxing and letting cat-Rose happily suckle milk from her, not stopping until one of her huge tits was drained. “Now that that’s settled,” Mooddie said weakly, “Can we go find everyone else.”
“Nyaaaa~, sure!” The duo headed down the stairs to find Cass-newly a kitsune–curled up in the bay window seat with Daisy. Mooddie gently shook her awake.
“Hun?” she whispered. “Cass, wake up, sleepyhead.”
Foxandra slowly opened her eyes and stretched, yawning. “Hey Mads. Rose. What’s up? Why are you both animal girls?”
Rose waggled her eyebrows. “We’re all animals girls, Foxy. Nya!”
“What?” Foxandra replied. She caught her reflection in the window beside her. “Pointy ears? And… how did I not notice this giant tail?”
“Your teeth are kinda pointy too, babe.”
“Huh. They are. So, what’s our plan?”
Mooddie and Rose both shrugged. “Find everyone else, first. After that, I’m not sure. Darcy will probably have ideas.”
“I found Heidi,” Rose commented, staring out the window. “I think she’s a… plant? Kinda green and basking in the sun.”
“Hmm… you two go get her. I’m not gonna stroll out into the front lawn without a shirt.”
Foxandra kissed her on the cheek. “Good plan, hun. Look for the rest of the girls while we figure out what to do with Heidi.” She and Rose stepped outside as Mooddie climbed up the stairs back towards the rest of the bedrooms.
“Hey girl,” Rose called out. “You know, I figured I would be a plant girl, because, you know… Rose.”
“Hiiiiii,” Heidi slowly, breathily, said. “It’s so niiiice out here.”
“We’re tryna gather everyone up to figure out what to do about all our developments, Heidi,” Cass stated.
“Oh, that’s okay, I don’t mind being like this. The sun feels so goooood.” Heidi started kicking her feet around, digging into the dirt, then buried them up.
“Heids, you can’t just stay out here and photosynthesize all day.”
“Mmmm, watch me.”
Cass sighed. “Let’s just get everyone else and bring them out here. We’ll find a shirt for Mads somewhere.”
–
“Heeeey?” Mooddie called out. “Anybody around?” She suddenly tumbled onto her butt without even realizing she slipped. Once sitting, she realized the floor around her was slippery- not from her milk, but a translucent green liquid. “What the heck?” Mooddie slowly got up, holding her arms out to balance, and followed the splotches of slime the best she could.
Standing at the foot of the ladder leading to Portia’s lab, Mooddie braced herself for the slimey way up- and the squeeze of getting through the hatch. With some effort, and a little help from the mysterious liquid, the cow-witch popped into the alchemist’s lab. “Porsh?” she called out.
“Oh, hey Maddie! I hope it wasn’t too hard getting up here with the slime and all. I don’t have legs right now.” She gestured to the mass of goo that made up her lower half. “This is kinda fun, to be honest.”
“We’ve all been hit with what I assume is a Cece prank,” Mooddie explained. “I’ve been gathering everyone to figure out what to do.”
“Oh, I guess that’s fair. Hold on, let me sprout legs again.” The goo shifted around and split, giving Portia two drippy legs. “I hope I don’t lose mass from this,” she laughed.
“Alright, let’s go!” Mooddie tried to pull herself back down the ladder, only to get stuck on her tits. “A little help, goo girl?”
“Hmmm,” Portia replied, before sliding over and surrounding Mooddie with herself. “Let’s go, cow,” she teased. The pair slipped through the hatch, tumbling off the ladder onto the floor.
Portia reformed and sucked herself back into her usual shape, walking in circles around Mooddie to reabsorb all the goo she’d left on the floor. “Hehehe,” she giggled. “I’m the T-1000.”
“Who are we still missing? Jen, Alexia, and Darcy,” Mooddie counted on her fingers. “Any ideas?”
“Knowing Darce, she’s totally immune to whatever happened. Probably still in her study.”
Just like Portia thought, Darcy was in her study, completely unaware that anything had happened.
“Hmm?” she asked when the pair walked in. “Madeline, could you put a shirt on?” With a wave of her hand, Darcy clothed the top half of the cow.
“Thanks, Darce.”
“Portia, you are looking… gooey.”
“Cece hit us with a prank spell. We figured you’d be immune to it.”
“I am generally unaffected by the cow’s meddling.”
“We still need to find my sister and Alexia, then hopefully we can sort everything out.”
“No need to worry about those two,” Cass said as she walked into the study. “They’re outside with Heidi. C’mon.”
–
“Where are they? I don’t see them,” Mooddie stated.
“Nya, like, up there,” Rose pointed into Heidi’s boughs, “And up there.” She pointed to the roof.
“Heidi sure has gotten bigger,” the cow said, staring at the tree-like girl, now verging on twelve feet tall.
“The sun feels so goooood, I toooold youuu…”
“Hi girlssssssss,” Alexia nearly hissed from Heidi’s branches.
“Lex, are you a… snake?” Portia asked.
“Yessssssss. I’m not the only one with sssscalesssss, though.” She pointed a beefy arm towards a coiled up, sleeping Jenny.
“Is she a- I can’t really tell from here,” Mooddie asked as she squinted.
“I think she’s a dragon,” Foxandra added. “And a huge one at that.”
“Huh. Well, she needs to get down here if we are going to fix this,” Darcy huffed.
“Hey Jen!” Mooddie shouted. “If you don’t come down here I’m gonna sell all your baking equipment!” Jenny’s eyes bolted open and she half leapt, half flew down from the roof to tower over the other girls- save Heidi.
“Wow, even your tits are bigger than mine,” Mooddie observed, shocked. “Cece doesn’t usually skimp on my boobs.” Her titties doubled in size instantly. “There’s the Cece magic we know and love.” Her magic, Darcy-created shirt stretched with her boobs, although the weight pulled her to the ground. “So, how do we all get back to normal?”
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article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
Saturday, March 23, 2019
What You Don't Know About Your Health Data Will Make You Sick
What You Don't Know About Your Health Data Will Make You Sick
You can't opt out of a shadowy system that's hungry to know everything about your health. Without knowing it, you may have opted-in to share even more.
March 23, 2019 at 04:55PM
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An Introduction...
Hi. Hello there. If you’ve found this blog you are looking for insight into your baby (or your soon to be baby), feeding, behaviour, sleep and everything in between. Hopefully I will be able to deliver this to you and help point you to other resources that can also help.
The Newborn Journey, what does that mean? It can mean many things. For me this is a new journey in my life, a way for me to help more parents to be and new families. It’s your new journey as a parent whether you’ve had a baby before or if this is your first time. And of course it is your baby’s journey through the early days.
So who am I?
My name is Sam, I’m a thirty something mum of a nearly 5 year old boy. I’ve been a midwife for nearly 8 years and a specialist in infant feeding for over 2 years, I’m training to be a Lactation Consultant. I have learnt so much in the last 2 years that I’m almost bursting at the seams and so I feel the need to share it with you. From learning that I had barely scratched the surface of infant feeding before I started my specialist training and role. To having the most mind shattering light bulb moments that I need to share. To understanding why breastfeeding can seem so hard to overcome but that it is worth it.
You see I had a very clear idea of the type of midwife I was going to be. I had gone into my training as a midwife and my early career with a vision. I was so keen on supporting ‘normal’ birth, I was going to work in a midwife led birth centre or join a home birth team. So clear was my conviction that when I found myself pregnant 3 years into my career that I planned a home birth because of course. As is often with best laid plans they don’t always go according to your wishes no matter how hard you tried.
After my experience of the early postnatal period on the other side, as a mother, I was restless. I saw that postnatal care is often seen as something to just get on with. That parents will know exactly what to do with a newborn without any preparation. Most of us now come from small family units that have minimal access to newborns and infants, no idea of what is normal, and you can forget about breastfeeding. We have been told and told and told ‘breast is best’ which of course it is, it’s the biological norm, it is the milk that human babies are meant to have. But we do not live in a culture of breastfeeding therefore it is like Sisyphus trying time and again to roll that boulder uphill but inevitably it rolls back down again.
And so when the opportunity came to move into the infant feeding field I decided I needed to do it. Birth is important of course it is. But the early postnatal period is what sets families up for life (we will revisit this concept time and time again throughout this blog as the importance of those early days on the development of your baby is one of my favourite subjects) is so very important but doesn’t seem to get the time or resources to deliver on the needs of families.
I also have a degree in Anthropology so I will also bore you to tears with talk of culture and evolution. Really Sam? Again Sam? I can hear you already
So what’s the plan?
I’m hoping that this will be a weekly blog that can share some insights into that early postnatal period, useful information, new research and book reviews. I want this to be the blog that I was so desperate for in those darker days of my own early postnatal period.
Let’s go on this journey together. Ready?
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article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
Nursing and Supplementing
Sometimes nature throws us a curve ball and you simply don’t have enough supply to meet a baby’s nursing needs. The way that breastfeeding is presented (anecdotally and in media) as ‘the most natural thing’ is pretty misleading, especially when – as a new mom – you lay your baby’s head against your breast and just expect the magic to start, for the flow to kick in.
I had a blissful first experience, with K latching eagerly and seemingly drinking (or starting off with the colostrum) happily. But by the end of day two, my enraged and suffering nipples should have been a clue that all was not well; the shards of glass feeling, milk blebs (hardened milk trapped beneath the surface and blocking the exit from the milk ducts) and raw, cracking nipples were more than ample evidence that there were latch issues. Plus, my big baby (10 lb. 3 oz) seemed insatiable.
How does a new mom tell whether this is just normal growing pains and a baby doing what babies do – stimulating more milk – or a case of bad latch and low supply?
It wasn’t until I went to the lactation consultant, after two weeks of suffering and constant feeding (with a baby who would fall asleep at the breast and who seemed mostly content, but always hungry) and nipples I would have cut off rather than suffer with another day, that we found out we had problems. Baby hadn’t regained his birth weight. We did a weighted feed and found he was only getting about 35 ml of milk (way too low for a growing newborn). I would read, with frustration, about moms who talked of ‘squirting their babies with milk; what?! Who has enough milk for that kind of energetic exit? I felt nervous that I was slowly starving our son and defeated that my body, despite a near CONSTANT feeding regimen, wasn’t working properly to feed our child. We got some tips on our latch, position and how to encourage more efficient eating, were given encouragement to start supplementing with formula and then went back to the consultant to check his weight. Still unsatisfied with the amount I was producing, we were referred to the International Breast Feeding Centre. There, the famous boobie specialist, Dr. Jack Newman (namesake of the Newman’s All-Purpose Nipple Ointment), assessed my breasts, the damaged nipples, looked at baby’s latch and did an investigation of baby, weight, mouth, etc. An undiagnosed tongue tie was found and released (a hard thing to watch as a parent, but necessary to help him start to feed effectively). I was also put on Domperidone (9 tablets, spread out over three doses during each day). Eventually I was bumped to 16 tablets a day. This is an off-label use for the drug which has a side-effect of producing lactation and increasing milk supply (probably not ideal if you are a man with digestive issues, but great for moms with low supply).
We returned three times for follow-ups (they watch you feed, weigh baby and monitor your progress, adjust your does of Dom). We had the tongue tie released a second time. Heart-breaking. And became experts in our own mom-baby nursing relationship.
Now our guy is 99th percentile for height. 85th for weight. Steadily gaining weight and eating like a champ, with very little issue. I still have the goal of exclusively breastfeeding, but it has been a blessing that he will a) take a bottle, b) can be fed by someone else, and c) is very easy going with regards to what, where and from whom he will take a feed, breast or bottle. To be clear, it’s from me that he takes the breast.
For moms, or parents, going into this… please know that nursing is hard and can be nerve-wracking. It’s a matter of survival for your child and can feel dire. Meeting their basic needs can provoke tears and uncertainty. If you find yourself in a supply and demand struggle with your little one, here is what I learned and top things that worked:
-feed on demand (as often as he likes). Some people like to get into a schedule and have some routine, but that will come eventually. At the start, let baby dictate when they eat. Offer the breast constantly. I was mostly topless for the first 6 weeks.
-switch sides often to help encourage multiple let downs (don’t drain one side then move to the other, instead switch mid-feed from one side to the other and back again for a second, or third try).
-for a little while, in the beginning, let him comfort feed and stay on the nipple to stimulate more production. This is time consuming, but helped get the milk up to his demand. I still let him ‘hang out’ on the nipple, especially if he is cranky, since the hormones released for baby and mom are calming and soothing. Plus, he is cute as can be and these are the moments of bliss I always thought would accompany nursing.
-when feeding, watch how hungry he seems and when he starts to fuss at the breast use that opportunity to see if he seems ‘very’ hungry still or just a bit, then make formula according to that estimation. Better yet, if you have a partner who can make it while baby stays at the breast, even better. I would literally call out a number ’30 ml, please!’
-Some feeds I’d make just 20 ml. if he seemed a little hungry, other times 80 or 120 if he seemed really ravenous. Yes, sometimes formula gets dumped, but I felt better knowing that he was getting enough and was definitely full.
-For the first while (three weeks) I pumped a little (6-10 minutes per side), after handing him off to my partner or putting him down to nap, after about half the feedings each day. Even if very little came out, it still stimulated the production.
-For the first month I used a lactation aid (a tube that runs from a container of milk or formula, laid against your breast and put into the corner of baby’s mouth) to let him drink the pumped milk, or formula, at the nipple. This was a huge pain in the butt, but it may have helped to get him sucking more at the breast (producing more, while also reminding him that the boob is where the milk is at).
-Take medication if you think it makes sense for you. Some prefer natural remedies like thistle and fennel, Mother’s Milk tea, etc. I do this, too, and eventually want to be off the pills, but found that it definitely worked for me. I have heard that especially with multiples, medication can help remedy low supply. I am now on 9 Domperidone tabs a day (10 mg each), which still feels very high; however, at the early stages I was taking 16 per day and slowly brought that number down as I watched to see if the supply was affected.
I know first-hand what a stress it can be to wonder if baby is eating enough and whether the supply is sufficient…and to wonder if you’ll always have to jump through so many hoops! Trust me, taking a small suitcase of ready-to-serve formula to Mexico, just in case my supply wasn’t enough, was never something I envisioned as part of my parenting reality.
Now, after all those initial trials, my routine is much more …routine. I just take my three tabs, three times a day, and feed him without pumping, with only a bottle/formula top-up when he seems unsatisfied (which maybe only happens once a day now). Some days we don’t need any top-ups at all. I hope others have an easier time; I know I wished that I hadn’t had to go through this when we were in the thick of it. But, with the resolution of most of those issues and a very happy little boy at 5 months old, I hope that if you find yourself similarly stressed and frustrated, these tips provide a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel.
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article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
Goat's Rue Benefits: Snapshot
Goat’s rue is one of many herbal remedies with the ability to reduce blood sugar levels. It is
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article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
from lactation « WordPress.com Tag Feed https://ift.tt/2TQFoPz
article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
Friday, March 22, 2019
Where The Hell Is Birth Control For Men?
Where The Hell Is Birth Control For Men?
For years, headlines have promised birth control for cis men is just around the corner. The truth is more complicated.
March 22, 2019 at 03:41PM
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The 7-Eleven Of The Future Is An Organic Hellscape Of Turmeric Slurpees
The 7-Eleven Of The Future Is An Organic Hellscape Of Turmeric Slurpees
As America's obsession with wellness and "clean eating" shows no signs of slowing down, the chain wants to figure out how to change customers' perceptions that convenience food doesn't always have to be deep-fried or nutritionally sketchy.
March 22, 2019 at 03:41PM
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The Mystery Of Morning Neck Pain
The Mystery Of Morning Neck Pain
After waking up with a searing pain that radiates down to my shoulders, I hunt for the culprit.
March 22, 2019 at 10:04AM
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Losing A Lot Of Weight Is The Dumbest Kind Of Suffering, And Other Facts
Losing A Lot Of Weight Is The Dumbest Kind Of Suffering, And Other Facts
Welcome to What We Learned This Week, a digest of the most curiously important facts from the past few days. This week: Losing 25 pounds in 6 weeks is not healthy or smart, riding the train across the country is a great idea and the most ambitious scooter ride ever attempted.
March 22, 2019 at 07:55AM
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Thursday, March 21, 2019
Five Women On What It's Actually Like To Have Universal Health Care
Five Women On What It's Actually Like To Have Universal Health Care
We talked to women in five countries with universal health care systems — Canada, Iceland, Taiwan, Australia and the UK — about their daily interactions with their country's medical systems.
March 21, 2019 at 07:17PM
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A Battle For My Life
A Battle For My Life
I had just finished filming Season 1 of "Game of Thrones." Then I was struck with the first of two aneurysms.
March 21, 2019 at 05:14PM
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There's No Mandatory Retirement Age For Surgeons — Should You Be Worried About That?
There's No Mandatory Retirement Age For Surgeons — Should You Be Worried About That?
Air traffic controllers must retire by age 56. Commercial pilots are ordered to call it quits by 65. Surgeons, however, have no such mandate. Maybe it's time for that to change.
March 21, 2019 at 10:12AM
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Amy Schumer Speaks Out About Her Husband's Autism Diagnosis
Amy Schumer Speaks Out About Her Husband's Autism Diagnosis
"I think a lot of people resist getting diagnosed because of the stigma...[but] the tools that we've been given have made his life so much better and our marriage and our life more manageable."
March 21, 2019 at 09:13AM
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