Christmastime.. again..

Its Christmas Eve 2008. I can't believe its already here. For the first time in a looooong time, I will not be spending Christmas at home. It's kinda of weird thinking that. Christmas time, traditionally, is time for family gathering, lots of eating, and cheer sharing. (Not to forget all the gift giving) Sad I won't be home but in Tallahassee (and I do have to work Christmas eve..booo..). For me this year, Christmas doesn't have the usual flare I always enjoy. I doesn't "feel" like Christmas. Makes me feel sad in a way. I always look forward to the season of Christmas. Of course, our culture today makes Christmas a time for Christmas songs, gingersnap cookies, Santa Claus, and mistletoe. But you know what, I enjoy that. It's my favorite time of the year. I love chimney fires, Christmas songs, winter clothes, coca-cola commercials, and christmas lights. I also love lighting the curbside tealights in white paper bags (you know, the candles your neighborhood makes you do) Too bad i'll wont be home to see that this year. i'll prolly be sleeping all Christmas day too.. I guess now, I'm a grown-up. I cant anticipate Christmas as I did as a child. "Being grown up isnt half as fun as growing up" But each day I am thankful. :) I love each season of my life. And I love Christmas. I wish everyone who reads this a wonderful Christmas. Really. Enjoy the time with your family and friends. Enjoy time with the ones you love. Take a step back and look at where you are. Be thankful for each moment. Merry Christmas. And if you don't celebrate Christmas, sorry to offend you. Happy Holidays. ;)

some thoughts..

just a post election thought. i think its great we have an african-american president to be. i do disagree with some of his campaign policies. but the fact we were able to look past color and elect a president, a leader of our country is amazing. but here is my beef with fellow friends, co-workers, people i know, and facebook statuses. ive seen and heard many people say "obama is president, i knew God existed." or "God is good cuz Obama was elected." Then are you saying if McCain won, God is not good, God is evil, or God doesn't exist? No. God is good always. Whether your candidate or the other candidate won. It doesn't matter. Don't make God or God's goodness a circumstantial matter. If things go your way, God is good. If things doesn't, God is bad. No! It angers me that people, "Christians", have that mindset. God is good all the time. No matter what. Good, bad, crappy, whatever! Everything God does, everything He created is good.  For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.1 Timothy 4:4-5 remember, God isnt good because one candidate got chosen over another. it doesnt matter whoever got elected, God is good. Its not Obama, or McCain. Its God. 

kids say whatever..

one night, as i was working, i was doing my usual rounds on patients. usually, i walk in, introduced myself, check their pain level, passing gas, etc etc.. then i go about my fundal and lochia checks. Now, its best if family members aren't there cuz, if you dont know, im pressing, looking, and checking in a oh-so-wee-private area. i do my best to keep the modesty of the patient, yet its not the best atmosphere for, you know, mom, dad, grandpa, uncle, older brother.. you get the picture. so this one particular night, im doing my fundal check and see that the patient has her two little kids with her. Now, i can't really ask them (7 and 5 year old) to leave the room. So i cover her up the best i can and do my job. Well the 5 year old girl asks, "What are you doing to my mommy?" and before i could answer, her older 7 year old brother says to her, "Be quiet! You got goods too!" LOL.. i dont know what my facial expression was at that moment, but im pretty sure it was an inbetween of disbelief mixed with holding laughter or disgusted look. This kid was seven! SEVEN! oh man.. kids these days.

what to blog?

well. i really dont have anything to blog about. ive never been really good at writing or posting my thoughts and stuff. i have a lot going on in my head, but never really knew how to get it out right. so, yea. dunno what to write. i guess i could do another pregnancy post. lol. what do you guys think?

hmm..

recently at my job, we've seen an unreal increase of first time moms between the ages of 13-17. the past two weeks ive had at least 5 moms under the age of 17 in my care. now it isnt uncommon to see majority of mom who are single, under 25, and having babies. in fact, i would say that is the majority of our patients. but, to have a noticble increase of high schoolers (in fact, young highschoolers) is odd for me. so i went around asking the veteran nurses why is it so. ive heard the months of august to october get really busy with halloween babies, thanksgiving babies, christmas babies, and yes, one-night-stand new year babies. but, ive found an interesting fact about the increase in teenage pregnancies and it makes total sense. what do students do between the months of may to august?? what time of year is it? CHRISTMAS VACATION! no school, its cold outside, parents are at work... do the math, get the picture? it made me think back to march and april when i first started working. there were a lot of teenagers then too. why? SUMMER VACATION.. its bound to happen and sad to see. these moms are not at an emotional level to take care of these children. and yet, i have to send the babies home with them. i wonder what this new generation of children will grow up and be like? i mean, can u imagine me, 24 yrs old, having a 11 year old child?? crazy!

hmm.. its been awhile..

it's been about three months since i last posted on here. i apologize for the lack of updating. though it prolly wasnt missed. internet connection at my appartment has been nil up until recently. and even then, i just didnt know what to post on. but, a lot has happened in the last three months. good things, bad things, and some very good things. :) overall, i am content. that doesnt mean God isnt challenging me and giving me new revelations every day. what i mean is i am at peace no matter what. somewhere beneath my organs i feel safe knowing God is in control. its a good feeling i havent had in awhile. :)

blogging from a mac..

imma get me a mac one day. its pretty darn cool.. macbook. :D

i think i found him..

i think i found my dream guy..
this guy just raised the stakes..
as white as this guys is, his korean accent is almost perfect. if i didnt see his face, i prolly would have thought he was korean.. i think my dream is coming to a reality. white guy, korean accent.. lol.. :)

Make it Rain.. Bi..

so why is Bi(a korean dude) playing a japanese guy in the new Speed Racer movie? Even if you can't tell, there are differences in race ya know.. oh well, i guess its more publicity for him. ????

Obedience a risk?

Luke 19:26 (New Living Translation)
26 “‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.

Taking risk is a step of faith. Taking risk, I mean, by following God and His will. Taking risk and following God, you move out of working from your own independence and control (self-direction) to a place of Godly direction. It's hard to take the next steps when the future is undecided or "not guaranteed". But taking these risks allows you to live by faith and not by sight. What seems to be no guarantee, is actually the greatest guarantee, if we believe what we say we believe. God is on the other side working for all good. It's a God-guarantee. No matter what we don't see on the other side, the reality is that God is there. Rick Warren says "If what you are doing doesn't require faith you are living faithlessly." I love it when the Heavenly man said "When we arrive at the end of our strength, it is not defeat, but the start of tapping into God's boundless resources. It is when we are weak that we are strong in God." "When the Lord tells us to do something there is no time for discussion or rationale, regardless of the situation we face. When we are sure God has told us to act, as I was on this occasion, blind obedience is called for. "

I'll be honest. It's hard for me. I'm the type that likes to know what's gonna happen and then plan ahead for it. Lately, God has been changing a lot of things around in my life, maybe something bigger than I thought. It's taking a lot for me to comprehend this. I finally realized I won't be able to. Not with my own mind. I have to tap into God's boundless resource. And you know what, I probably won't figure it out unless I do take a step of faith and obey. We all have come to a point in time or will come to a point in our lives that will require of this. I say this, pray... pray and fast. First, ask God where are areas in your life you are living faithlessly and depending on yourself. Ask Him to guide you to that area and see what He shows you. Tap into God. Use the resources He is giving you. He will bring you to a place of risky obedience.

pregnancy post #2

today's topic.... breastfeeding!

i think this is such a huge topic and really important for new mom's to read and know. no matter who says what about breastfeeding or what your professors teach you about "baby instincts", breastfeeding will probably be one of the more difficult things with your new baby. all babies need to learn how to suck. yes, it is in their instinct to suck, but they need to learn how to suck on an actual object. in this case, mom's breast. i will also warn you, you probaby won't get a firm grip on breastfeeding until about one to two weeks after birth, maybe even longer! i get a lot of mom's who cry and get frustrated because their baby won't suck or latch properly. it is very very frustrating and be prepared to get frustrated and cry. it is all normal. and no, we nurses dont get upset with you. :) we all understand that it is hard and need lots of practice. it helps us too, though, if you understand that as well. it is very rare to have a newborn that can latch on correctly and have a "perfect" breastfeed right after birth. this is probably the most misunderstood concept to breastfeeding. you are new at it, baby is new at it. it takes time to find the right position that works for both you and your baby. also, does your baby have a short tongue? tight frenulum? is the baby under 37 weeks (37 weeks is when the baby learns how to suck in the womb)? what are the shape of your nipples? did you use drugs while pregnant? did you get an epidural? did you have breast augementation or reduction? all these and more play a factor in breastfeeding. but remember, you can do it! it is possible and you will have a wonderful experience breastfeeding. dont give up. and we nurses are here to help you. :) it will be one of the greatest experiences in your life.

in this post, i will go over the three most common positions to breastfeeding and what to look out for. be prepared for a loooong post.

it is very important that a newborn feeds every 2-3hrs for breastfeeding. (3-4 hours with formula). the first three days after birth, the mom makes what is called colostrum. this isnt your actual "milk" yet has many many important nutrients that help nourish your baby. BUT, if you plan on breastfeeding for a week or two to get this colostrum and then formula feed, i would recommend you do not breastfeed altogether. this is extremely important and i will get to it in a later post.

to have a proper latch in any position, the baby needs to open its mouth as wide as it can. latching is what we call when the baby has a firm suction onto the breast. it is best to have as much of the BREAST, not the nipple, in the baby's mouth. the second common misunderstanding is having the baby suckle only on the nipple. you can do this if you want, but 1. the baby will not get enough food. 2. you will be in serious pain. prepare for bleeding and cracked nipples. ouch! you want as much of the areola, "the dark part", of your breast in the baby's mouth. this also helps bring down the colostrum/milk.

the three most common positions:
1. football hold/clutch: this position i recommend the most. you have the most freedom with your hand to either move baby or massage your breasts. you hold the baby like you would a football, under your arm. you sit far upright as you can and have the baby resting on pillows, i want to stress the importance of having the baby's head level with your breast. you hold the baby from ear to ear with your thumb and forefinger. use the rest of your three fingers to support the baby's head. bring the baby up to your breast, never the breast to the baby. keep the baby close to your body as possible and NEVER push the baby's head toward your breast. always bring the baby to you by the using the palm of your hand from the baby's shoulders.

2. cross-clutch: in this position, the baby is across your chest. you are holding the baby's head with one hand feeding the baby on the opposite breast. i.e. baby's in your left hand, feeding on the right breast. same positioning with the baby's head and your hand as the football hold. important to have pillows supporting you and the baby. remember to have baby's chest against your chest, not on its side. again, have as much of your breast in the baby's mouth. baby should be level with your breast.

3. cradle hold: my least favorite. a lot of mom's use this because its a common way to hold baby, and grandmothers usually tell them its the proper way. it is the hardest to breastfeed in this position. i say this because the baby is lying in your arms with its head lying on your antecubital/elbow. its hard to position baby's head correctly in this way and baby usually will end up on the tip of your nipple. again, have baby chest to chest with you and as close to you as possible.

things to remember while breastfeeding:
1. babies can breathe.. they cannot suck if they cannot breathe. from mom's perspective, it looks like baby doesnt have enough room to breathe. but they infact have plenty of room to breathe, if they are sucking, they are breathing. there is usually a small slit inbetween the nares and your breast. that is enough for the baby to breathe. unless, of course, you have huge breasts. :) a common mistake is mom's will retract their breast because they fear baby is not breathing. this is not a good thing to do because iit pulls the breast out of the baby's mouth resulting in either loss of suction or sucking at the tip of the nipples. if ever in doubt, push down and into the baby's mouth. down and in, never away. also, DO NOT, i repeat, DO NOT pull away from baby when you have suction. break the suction first with your finger. i promise you the moms who just pull away have serious nipple pain. you dont want that. imagine a tight clothes pin on the end of your nipple. yea, you dont want that.
2. massage your breasts. this helps stimulate the milk and bring it down. think of your breast as a clock. massage 12,3, 6, and 9 o'clock. if you watch closely, your baby will do this too! its amazing. they will caress your breast and massage it! how cool is that! :)
3. mom's usually fear that baby isn't getting enough food because they cannot hand express colostrum. this is not true. your baby sucking is the best in bringing out your milk. dont worry that you cannot hand express colostrum or you cannot get much while pumping. pumping can only simulate. baby is best! also, about 5 millileters of colostrum equals 10-15 millileters of formula! colostrum is very very rich. if you doubt baby isnt getting enough, look at baby's weight. they loose some after birth, but if they loose more than 10%, they arent getting enough. also, does baby look satisfied? or is it continually rooting, sticking its tongue out, or sucking on its hand. these are signs baby isnt getting enough. and you can always supplement with formula.
4. breastfeed at least 15-20 mins. babies usually suck, rest, suck, rest. but resting shouldnt be more than 5- 10 seconds. they need to actively feed for 15 mins.
5. the more you take away, the more you will make. i said earlier that if you plan to breastfeed for a week, then dont breast at all. it is because you will continue to make milk. you dont want that if you are going to formula feed. also, it will increase the chances of engourgement. way to prevent milk from producing is to not feed, wear a tight bra, put something cold over your breast. DO NOT shower in warm water. warm water produces milk. if your breasts are full, its not a good idea to "release the milk" by pumping or feeding. put something cold over your breast.
6. contractions/cramping: breastfeeding signals your brain to produce oxytocin (mentioned in earlier post). you will feel contractions and have cramping. bring on the ibuprofen! :)

what ive covered here is usually what happens the first 1- 3 days after birth. its a lot, i know. after you leave the hospital is a whole other story. i will cover let down, engourgement, and second milk in a later post. :)

at work..

funny story, a mom was starting to breastfeed her newborn and she put the baby to the breast. as the baby was sucking, the older brother (about 3 years old) stands right next to the mom and baby staring at this situation. then the kid says "what's that baby doing?" and the mom goes "eating some milk so it can grow." then the kid, with the most serious face, says "there's no milk in there." LOL ahahahahha.. he was sooo serious. and he said it so slowly. anyways, that's my funny story of the night. :)

pregnancy post..
i've decided to write some blogs you future mom's and dad's about what happens to your body after you have a baby. if you had any questions or believed some urban myth, hopefully the next couple posts will help.
#1. cramping - a lot of new mom's, for some reason, do not associate cramping with after birth. they think cramping only happens during a period or labor. once you have your baby, your body with naturally contract the uterus to a firm ball. it feels like a small bowling ball. this helps prevent excessive bleeding. inside the uterus, your baby got nutrients and blood through the placenta. the placenta is attached to the wall of the uterus. once you give birth to the placenta, the uterus contracts to close off the blood vessels. if not, then you would be bleeding like crazy. to help keep the uterus nice and firm, your body will contract the uterus. thus, contractions and more thus, cramping! if you are breastfeeding, you will cramp even more. breastfeeding stimulates what is called oxytocin in your body. the oxytocin is specifically designed for contracting the uterus. so after you breastfeed, you will cramp. to induce labor, we use a synthetic version called Pitocin. you might hear mom's talking about how the nurses had to hang PIT to have the baby come out. pitocin, oxytocin, same thing. it contracts the uterus. sometimes it will feel like you are cramping during your period or it may even be as severe as feeling the same as having labor. but don't worry, we have medicines to help with the pain. usually, motrin will do the trick, if not we have something stronger. :) oh, and these meds are ok with breastfeeding. no detrimental effects on the baby or milk production.

for roberto

this blog is dedicated to roberto m. #1 reason cuz he did an awesome job last night. you were great! #2 reason is he got on to me about not having blogger and using xanga instead. so here you go rob. :D just for you.