Category: Family

Review of Breastfeeding

Marie Haigh9 Comments

Breastfeeding has been immensely rewarding and yet extremely challenging. It didn’t start off smoothly and even 3 months later there are still complications. I persevere not out of obligation but out of love. It is comforting, relaxing and a bit amazing to feed her the way nature intended. A strong bond has formed between us that I don’t think would be there otherwise. Convenience also plays a hand; it is just so much easier to grab Elly and nurse her than it is to go through the process of making a bottle.

As recommended, I started breastfeeding Elly in the recovery room directly following the c-section. Despite help from 2 nurses and 1 husband, Elly struggled to latch on longer than a few seconds. In the hours and days following her birth, Elly learned where the milk came from, how to latch on and how to let me know she was hungry. We didn’t get it right all the time but enough that good habits were starting to form. Yet it only took a few wrong positions to cause cracking and bleeding. Two weeks passed before I felt like I was on the road to recovery. Unfortunately, I soon contracted thrush and things became quite painful again. Medication to rid the yeast and lots of lanolin cream eventually sent the pain packing for good. Yet, the problems didn’t end there.

At 5 weeks of age, Elly decided that she no longer wanted to lay on the Boppy pillow. She had taken a preference to the cradle position and would accept little else. Ask me how long it took me to figure that out. The Boppy pillow is now just used to help Elly sit up on her own.

At 6 weeks, she demanded with her new found voice that pillows of all sorts be retired. I was going to need to build up my arm strength. This is also about the same time that she fell in love with a walk and nurse combo (nursing while I walked around the house lulling her to sleep). Thoughts of me creating a monster raced through my head, but everyone insisted I couldn’t spoil a newborn.

At 3 months, Elly abruptly stopped nursing on my left side. Worried that Elly wouldn’t get enough to eat, I hired a lactation consultant. (For those in the Pottstown area, I highly recommend consultant Amy Owen). After assuring me that Elly would get all the nutrition she needed from one side so long as I continued to nurse on demand and did not cut the sessions short, she sat with me for 2 hours and gave me a slew of suggestions. The first suggestion that worked was to buy a sling. The sling was to help support Elly’s weight during the walk and nurse combo.

It became Elly’s preferred method of nursing my left side for about a week. The second suggestion that worked was to start her on her favorite side and then move her over to the other side after the letdown without turning her. Currently, this is 1 of 2 ways that I trick her into nurse on the side she doesn’t like. The 2nd way and the easier of the two is to grab her directly after she wakes up when she is still groggy and will nurse out habit. It seems every time I do succeed in nursing her on her least favorite side it makes the next time just a little bit easier. Hopefully, there will come a day when I no longer have to use any tricks. The one good thing about her preferring just one side is that I now have a freezer stocked with milk. (Note: For those experiencing the same problem, the website KellyMom offers a great list of suggestions).

The moral of this story is that breastfeeding – though rewarding – has its share of difficulties. It is constantly changing as your little one grows up. What works today may not work tomorrow. Just when everything is going right, your baby will change. Case in point, I have spent the past week learning Elly’s vocabulary of sounds and gestures. I used to know when she munched her hands that she was hungry. Now she munches her hands for the fun of it. Sticking her tongue out or clicking like a typewriter are her new hunger cues.

Breastfeeding requires determination, a sense of humor and a great support system to make it through. But you CAN do it. Keep trying as long as you and your baby want to.

Because I Didn’t Own a Sledgehammer

Marie Haigh2 Comments

It was 1 of 2 reasons why my sewing machine hasn’t been smashed to smithereens. The other reason is due to the fact that my favorite sewing store in town, Pottstown Sewing & Crafts, holds a “Trade-Up” sale every few months. Why they are willing to give me a credit for this machine is beyond me.

It was a great machine 10 years ago when I bought it, perfect for a beginner sewer. It handled the occasional hemming and mending like a pro. Somewhere over the years, I fell in love with the craft of sewing. It just hasn’t been able to keep pace with me due to it’s minimal library of stitches and available feet. On top of that it doesn’t function properly. Just threading it requires that all the dials be set to 0 lest the needle jams in the bobbin casing. It also has a tendency to lose tension halfway through a project which in turn causes the needle to jam in the bobbin casing. Guess how good I am at taking the bobbin casing apart and putting it back together again.The tension problem is the main reason I hate the machine so.

Even Elly doesn’t like it.

These past few years I have been pining for a new machine but I kept trying to make do with what I had – silly resourceful trait of mine. When my machine lost the tension during the quilt I made for Elly, I decided enough was enough. I deserved a better machine.

True, I still have the back-up machine that I found on the side of the road with a “Free. Works.” sign on it.

Unfortunately, the old girl can only work a straight stitch. All other functions have been lost and would require the skill of a professional to correct. Despite the problems, I plan to keep her as a back-up. Just this month, I was able to sew up a pair of pajama pants on her.

Last Monday, I visited my sewing store to test run a few Babylock models that I was interested in. It didn’t take me long to decide on the Decorator’s Choice. It had everything I needed, everything I wanted and even some features I’m not sure what to do with. In other words, it’s a machine that I can grow into rather than one that I would grow out of in a year or two. I pick it up tomorrow. I can hardly wait.

What does Elly do whilst I sew?
She supervises from her bouncy chair.

Jake’s Job

Marie Haigh5 Comments

Outside of companionship, Jake’s responsibilities are minimal. We never even bothered to teach him the normal list of tricks.

Thus, Jake doesn’t play Fetch, preferring the ‘Keep Away’ game.

He doesn’t bring me the newspaper every morning, since the first few attempts resulted in a shredded paper.

Being the social bunny that he is, Jake doesn’t guard the house. Even Elly joining the family hasn’t triggered any desire from Jake to protect us – for which I’m thrilled.

Despite his commitment to the task, Jake has been unable to chase off the resident squirrel family.

Yet, Jake has found a way to be useful. He breaks up the sticks that fall from our pin oak tree into kindling. He’s quite efficient.

First, Jake collects a stick from me.

Then, he lays down nearby to snap, tear, gnaw and bite the stick until it is reduced to pieces small enough for the kindling pile.

Upon completion, Jake dashes over to receive another stick.

He just loves his job.We see it as nothing but a bonus. I encourage it because it keeps Jake entertained while I’m gardening. Dan is always pleased by Jake’s efforts because it means less work for him when he’s bringing sticks in for the fireplace.

Where was Elly in all this gardening? In her Ergo, of course.

Planning a Garden

Marie Haigh6 Comments

Can you picture a bed of flowers on a path separating 2 garden beds?

Amongst the flowers are stepping stones inviting you to walk through. The garden bed to the left is a sea of white flowers. The garden bed to the right has more mature plants from evergreen shrubs to azaleas.

Can you see it?

In my dreams, I can. Hopefully, by the time Elly is old enough to remember such things (say 4 years of age), it will look exactly like I envision.

In the meantime, I am using my plethora of sweet gum seed pods to kill the grass in the pathway. It’s the lazy man’s approach to ripping out a section of grass; grass is much easier to rip out if it’s dead first.

Pure Survival

Marie Haigh4 Comments

We made it! Elly is now 7 weeks old. Amazingly, not only is she still alive but Dan and I are still thrilled to be her parents despite the sleepless nights, spit-drenched clothes and bruises from her cute habit of head butting.
Some of us are more exhausted than others from the experience.

It wasn’t all for naught. We’ve learned a few things about Elly along the way: she grunts to communicate, she dislikes having to go to bed (thankfully, she isn’t old enough to whine and to beg to stay up just 10 more minutes), and she loves watching wrestling with her Dad.

Just this week, it has felt like a fog has lifted. Elly isn’t eating any less or requiring any less attention. And no, Elly isn’t sleeping longer than 2-3 hours at a stretch in the night. Hopefully, longer stretches of sleep will come soon.
Rather I am finally learning how to adjust to life with a newborn. True, very little gets accomplished outside of nursing, changing diapers and holding her. Still I have found little windows to accomplish the hobbies that I hold dear.One of the first things I found time for was my daily walk with Jake. After a few failed attempts at different times in the day, I learned that it was best to squeeze it in after Elly’s noontime snack. The timing works perfectly because Elly can take her afternoon nap snug and secure in her Ergo baby carrier.

While waiting for Elly to drift off to sleep after a big meal, I find time to knit a row or two. Elly only objects when the yarn drapes across her face.
At night when Dan is home, I sneak off to the kitchen or the sewing room while he enjoys quality time with his daughter. Though this project was supposed to be Dan’s birthday present (his birthday is the 28th), it is looking more like a Christmas present.

Another joy of having a newborn: things take longer to accomplish.
I wouldn’t change it for the world though. Elly is wonderful.

Month Report

Marie Haigh9 Comments

A little over a month has passed since Elly was born yet still normal life still has not yet been resumed.
There has been no knitting, sewing, or card making. Only 3 dishes have been cooked up: bread pudding, rice pudding and pancakes. All were made within the last week.
My main focus has been nursing Elly. Sometimes I manage to catch sleep in between her feedings. Sometimes I don’t.
I persevere through the long hours because this is my reward.


Sheer bliss.

At Elly’s most recent check-up, the doctor confirmed what we had guessed: Elly has gained a lot of weight. She now weighs 11 lbs and measures 21.25″. You can really see the difference in her hands and her face.

Of course, I am thrilled with Elly’s continued good health. On the other hand, I am also chomping at the bit to resume some of my hobbies. Maybe soon, but I don’t want to rush things. Elly will only be this age once. I am trying to savor every moment.

Worth the Wait and the Pain

Marie Haigh13 Comments

We waited 42 weeks and 2 days before Elizabeth finally made her grand entrance.

Though I had hoped for a natural birth at a birth center, things did not go according to plan. Elly didn’t want to come the traditional way. It took an induction at the hospital, hours of natural labor followed by hours of “encouraged labor” with the help of pitocin, a few hours of pushing (for a total of 25 hours of labor) and a c-section to drag Elly out of her comfy home. We heard her screaming her displeasure at being brought into this world before we saw her. I further endured a minor complication after the surgery along with a whole lot of pain.

Still it was worth it. We have our Elly.

Even the lack of sleep, the feeling of being overwhelmed, and moments of frustration can’t keep me from swooning every time she smiles.

Can you blame me?

Elizabeth has Arrived

Marie Haigh12 Comments

At long last, Elizabeth is finally here!

Our little redhead arrived on Wednesday, February 3rd at 2:01 am. She weighed 7 pounds and 15 ounces.

Know that Elizabeth, Marie and Dan are all doing well and have recently made it back home to rest, recuperate, and enjoy each other’s company.

Sewing Frantically because Elly will be Here Soon

Marie Haigh5 Comments

The curtains are finished!

Baseball buttons adorn both panels now allowing me to fold up the bottom half to make room for the radiator.

While waiting for the buttons to arrive, I whipped up a nursing cover, a.k.a. hooter hider.

Since it was such a joy to sew, I’ll be posting a short tutorial on the cover in a few days.

Currently, I am sewing up Elly and her little friend in Seattle matching bloomers. If I finish them as quickly as I would like to, I plan to sew one more item for Elly: a bathrobe. Then, there is also the Mei Tai sling I’d love to find time to sew.

But the clock is a-ticking. Elizabeth is considered full-term now at 37 weeks.

With a little luck, she will enjoy hanging out in her current abode for a few more weeks, giving her Mom time to finish all the current sewing and knitting projects and time to reorganize the guest bedroom/sewing room. It pains me already to think that I will have to pack away my sewing machines for over a month to accomodate our overnight guests. Yet, the help I will receive in return should more than make up for it. Besides, will I really have time to sew when Elly is a newborn? I suppose not. And, of course, I’ll still have my knitting.

This is a post from Knitted Gem’s blog, authored by Marie Haigh.