To Breastfeed in Public or Not

Most of you are aware that C Monster nurses, he is now 2 and 1/4 and still loves his breastmilk or lolo as we call it in our home.

I decided just before he turned 2 to call my milk lolo that way when a 2 1/2 year old screams at the top of his lungs "I want lolo" when you are in the middle of the grocery store you do not have to worry about what others might say.  I know I really should not worry about what others say but I do.

When C Monster was about 18 months old a stranger addressed him while he was nursing and told him he was to old to be doing that - I corrected them immediately.  When C Monster was 18 months old it did not phase him one bit I am not even sure he knew what the stranger was talking about; however now that he is older and understands a lot (more then I sometimes realize) I don't want this situation to repeat itself again.

So after that incident we slowly started encouraging other liquids on the go and kept nursing for at home, nursing rooms and at friends or places that I knew would not be judgmental.  Am I doing harm to C Monster with this I don't think so.  If he asks for lolo when we are out I usually try to figure out why he wants it - is he hungry, tired, hurt (beyond a kiss fixing it)  or just needs mama time. Typically it's because he is hungry - if it's for any other reason we find a quite spot and nurse - this is rare.

The reason why I started questioning if I am doing the right thing today is...  C Monster had an appointment to get a vaccine today as I always do I nurse him during and after the vaccination.  The nurse was surprised but ok with the fact I wanted to nurse my 2 1/4 year old during his shot. Christophe barely even flinched during the shot - just another breastmilk miracle.  After the nurse was done she said take as long as you need and started to close the door, I said no no it's ok we will finish nursing in the waiting room.  (I know they don't typically like it when you occupy the nursing station after the nurse is done - I think and hope she was just trying to be polite)

We sat down in the waiting room across from a family with a little new born (maybe 2 months at the tops) and started to nurse.  The father asked me if my son just got a shot and said wow he is so big we don't even think we heard him cry - what a brave boy.  I answered yes and explained that if you nurse your child during a shot they don't feel it as much.  The conversation when from there and the mother and father poured their hearts out to me on how they want to breastfeed but they can't seem to figure it out and so on.  We talked for a bit - I am pretty sure all her issues where due to a horrible latch and well by the time C Monster was done nursing and fast asleep in my arms; the mother decided to try to breastfeed her little one instead of giving her a bottle when she started to fuss and guess what she said it did not hurt, and we could all hear and see the baby girl gulp down her milk.

I gave her all the names of the various resources in the area for breastfeeding support and she said thank you and we parted ways.

Did the fact that I was nursing a toddler in public help this mother and baby maybe - would she have reached out to a total stranger otherwise maybe - we will never know.  However a situation like this make me think twice next time I ask C Monster to wait 5 minutes for us to get to a more convenient spot to nurse.

PS - if you are wondering what are the resources I gave her:
La Leche League Toronto Help Line - (416) 483-3368
Toronto East General Breastfeeding Clinic - (416) 469-6667
http://www.drjacknewman.com/

So I ask you are nursing a toddler? What do you think when you see someone nursing a toddler? Would you nurse a toddler in public?

The Weekend - Guelph Style

Saturday

With the Grain

Grandmama treated us to breakfast at With the Grain. I have to say I have mixed opinions about this little cafe both good and bad. On one side of the street is their bakery were you will find some of the best breads and pastries I have ever had that were not home made. The Bee Sting was to die for. The service was fast and friendly nothing to complain about.

Where we had a negative experience was at the cafe; we got there and their was a wait of about 15-20 minutes. This would have been less annoying if their was not some tables for 2 free and some tables for 4 with only 2 people at them - we were waiting for a table for 4. (eventually some of the patrons moved to a table of 2 and we got a table - I just wish the waitress would have asked them to if they were willing to move) While we waited Geoff tried to go order a coffee at the "to go" side of the cafe to drink while he was waiting and they said it was too complicated to keep the orders straight if he ordered his coffee from the "to go" side and then sat down in the cafe.

Once we actually got seated the service was great and so was the food. - just a few annoyances before we got or table.

Nancy & I Monster

When we go to Guelph there are always friends we try to see; it's great to see old friends and also for C Monster to get a chance to play with other toddlers.

One of the moms from my "Mommy Group" has recently moved to Guelph and C Monster had not seen his little friend since before Christmas. As I guessed correctly C Monster did not seem to remember Nancy or I Monster but that did not stop him from having a good time.

Sunday

Sick C Monster & Me

Well it's official we are sick both of us; Geoff is the only one that has eluded this nasty cold. C Monster has a fever and his nose is dripping like a faucet. This means the Visit with Kim and her family that I was oh so looking forward to is canceled. Geoff is still going to sneak out to say hi but we are grounded at grandmama's.

I want to talk about what I take when I am sick. Since I still breastfeeding the C Monster I am super careful as to what I put in my body. Many drugs are "compatible" with breastfeeding however some of the drug still passes threw to your child in your breast milk; this being said it is my belief that due to this you should try to avoid drugs all together unless necessary. Also always talk to you doctor before taking any drugs while breastfeeding - even over the counter drugs.

So what do I do to make myself more comfortable? Here is a list of the products I like and find effective. Remember I am not qualified to give medical advice, I am just a mom and this is what I find works - if you are sick for a prolonged period of time always talk to your doctor.

Thayers Slipery Elm Lozenges
These are great alternative to traditional lozenges; they help sooth an irritated throat from too much coughing.

Wedderspoon Organic Manuka Honey Lozenges with Ginger and Echinacea Active 15+
Double hitter has the healing power of Menuka Honey combined in a lozenges, these are great to suck on when your throat feels dry.

Wedderspoon 100% Raw organic Manuka Honey Active 16+
"Manuka honey is from bees who feed on the flowers of the Manuka bush, also known as the "Tea Tree" to produce a honey that has anti-bacterial properties. Tea tree oil is commonly from the related Melaleuca tree native to Australia and is used as a topical antibiotic and antifungal for wounds that fail to close." - Wikipedia

Herbal Teas I drink lots of herbal teas, the warmth is very soothing to the throat. If you are a breastfeeding mama make sure to vary the teas you drink to much of one tea could end up with a concentration of that herb or plant in your system and some herbs in large quantities are contradictory to breastfeeding. Such as: Sage; Peppermint; Ginseng; Rhubarb to name only a few.

Their is a great article about this on Kellymom.com.

Febriplex by Unda
This basically helps your body cope with a fever, we take one immediately upon onset of a fever.

Drosera Plex by Unda
This basically helps your cough be more productive.

Looking Forward

To finishing assembling C Monster Frog & for my cough to go away.

Breastfeeding Rally at Queen’s Park, Toronto

Breastfeeding Rally at Queen’s Park, Toronto

Wednesday, December 3rd

Dr. Jack Newman, the Toronto doctor known around the world as a leader in breastfeeding education and support, needs your help. The Newman Breastfeeding Clinic and Institute sees more than 2500 mothers and babies each year, but is on the verge of closing its doors unless it receives more funding. The NBCI is requesting donations, but until the government recognizes the importance of institutional breastfeeding support, the clinic will always be in danger.

Supporters of the NBCI are asked to come to Queen’s Park on Wednesday, December 3^rd at 10 am for a quiet nurse-in. Demonstrators will be advocating for the provincial government to recognize the importance of breastfeeding and to commit to funding breastfeeding clinics like Dr. Newman’s. The rally is supported by the New Democratic Party, and NDP health critic France Gélinas will be holding a press conference at 10 am. At 10.30 am, question period will take place in parliament, and Gélinas will use the opportunity to call for a provincial breastfeeding strategy and encourage the government to support hospitals going baby friendly.

The objective is to hold a nurse-in in the viewing gallery of Queen’s Park during question period. IMPORTANT: formal protests are not allowed within the building, so it is asked that no one bring signs, placards or banners. The hope is to fill the viewing gallery which will require a huge turn out, so please spread the word. This is an opportunity to change the status of breastfeeding policy in Ontario for years to come.

If you wish to attend please RSVP to Helen or Dani by December 1^st. Spaces in the viewing gallery are limited and the NDP are asking anyone wishing to participate to add their names to the list of guests as they will have to go to the security desk to give their names in order to get in.

What: Breastfeeding Rally and Nurse-in

Where: Queen’s Park, Toronto

When: 10 am, Wed. December 3rd

RSVP to:

dani@naturalmothering.ca
or
helen@naturalmothering.ca

Nurse-in Nov. 7 in Newmarket

Below is an email I received from INFACT:

Breastfeeding Rights Rally in Newmarket, ON
Mother was asked to breastfeed in the change room
Violation of Human Rights

Friday Nov 7th, The Aquacentre Pool at 2:30-3:30pm
1215 Stellar Dr., Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 7B8
Phone: 905 895 2782, Fax: 905 853 4229,
email: info@aquacentrenewmarket.com and ellie@trinityrehab.com

I was breastfeeding my daughter on the steps of the swimming pool when Ms. Ellie Karkouti, the owner of the facility, came to speak with me. Ms. Karkouti said they had one complain and that I could not breastfeed my daughter in the swimming pool. She said if I wanted to breastfeed I would have use the changeroom. I tried to say that based on the law I had the right to breastfeed in public places but Ms. Karkouti said that she was the owner and I could only breastfeed in the changeroom. After that I stopped breastfeeding. Ms. Ellie Karkouti left. I stayed in the swimming pool.

It was the first time I have suffered discrimination in my life! I wanted to cry so bad. I tried to pretend this has never happened. My daughter kept asking to nurse and I denied her while we were in the pool. My heart was broken. I did not know what to do. I was completely sad, lost and numb.

Only after a few hours, I believe I started to think clearly again.

I informed the group of families registered for this swim time at The Aquacentre about the terrible episode. The leader of this activity, Carol-Anne Brockington, sent an email to The Aquacentre asking for an apology. Their feedback was "At no point did we discriminate against the act of breastfeeding." They did not offer any apology.

After several emails of support from mothers ready to fight for the right to breastfeed, we have decided to organize a Breastfeeding Rights Rally, a peaceful nurse-in for Friday, November 7^th in The Aquacentre at 2:30pm.

Please inform as many people as you can about this discrimination episode and the nurse-in. Feel free to use this email. Also, everybody is welcome to the peaceful nurse-in, you do not have to breastfeed to participate! All support is welcome! If you are unable to attend the nurse-in personally please feel free to email, phone or fax the facility to voice your concerns over this incident and show your support of breastfeeding rights – anywhere, anytime!

Unfortunately, the Aquacentre in Newmarket is a private facility that charges to use the pool. For this reason, to be able to participate in the Breastfeeding Rights Rally it is required that you pay the fee of $5.25 per swimmer. I wish it was not necessary to pay but the law requests it. We also welcome supporters that would like to be outside with signs. Please bring your own sign! Supporters that will be outside do not need to pay any fee.

If you are interested then please email Carol-Anne Brockington off list ASAP at thebirthden@yahoo.ca. If you do not get a reply within 24 hours then please send another. Please do not contact the facility.

Thank you!

Cinira Longuinho

Breast-feeding Chalange

Are you a nursing mom? Do you want to participate in a nurse-in to help bring awareness to breast-feeding? The Quintessence Foundation is chalenging you to attend the Breast-feeding challenge on October 11, 2008. Christophe and I would be participating but we will be away on our first family vacation that weekend celebrating Geoff and I's second year wedding anniversary. If anyone out there attends a chalange I would love to hear what you tough about it.

World Breast Feeding Week

This week is world breastfeeding week. I would like to give a great shout out to all mothers that have chosen the breast; and remember if you are having a hard time you are not alone we have all struggled with one challenge or another during our nursing carrier just ask one of your friends or another nursing mother and you will be surprised as too the amount of support they are willing to give you.

La Leche Legue - Moncton

As many of you know, I attend the La Leche Legue Meetings in Toronto; we try to go twice a month. It's a spot were I can connect with other moms with similar values as us. I noticed that while I was going to be in Moncton there meeting was going to be held; so we decided to join them.

The topic of discussion was breastfeeding challenges; before the meeting the leaders asked us individually if we were currently facing challenges or had challenges that we beat in the past. Anyone who has been reading our blog from the start knows that I was having major challenges with the amount of milk I was producing.

I ended up sharing my story and one of the moms came up and thanked me because she was happy to see that someone with the same challenge that she was not able to overcome in her previous pregnancy was overcome by someone else. This gave her more hope and determination for her current pregnancy and breastfeeding.

I also bumped in one of sister's friends at the meeting - one more person our little guy met.

I really enjoyed the meeting maybe even more then the ones I go to in Toronto. This may have been because, unlike us in Toronto, mothers in Moncton who want to breastfeed pretty much only have each other. Hospitals still give formula and pacifiers routinly; there are no publicly funded lactation consultants and midwives are not paid for by the goverment. To me, the air in this meeting must have been very similar to the meetings held 40 - 50 years ago when women had almost no outside help with breastfeeding.

We will definitely be back to join them next we are in Moncton.

If you are in the Moncton Area and what to learn about breastfeeding or need help all women with children are welcome to La Leche Legue meetings. The Moncton meetings are held on the last Monday of the month at the Moncton Hospital.

Lots of new people

All my family is crazy proud of my little guy and love to show him off.

On Friday we went to the Sobey's on Main Street so my sister could show him off to her coworkers. We also bumped in my aunt and uncle Loretta and Emile there.

On Saturday we went Champlain Place and Sobey's once again, so my dad could show him off to his old coworkers. We also borrowed the break room so we could nurse in a quiet area.

On Monday we went to Sobey's on Mountain Road so my dad could show him off to his old coworkers again.

Do you see a pattern forming?

Today Norma and Kristal came over to visit. I used to babysit Kristal and her sister when they were little.


And my aunts Monique's family came by to say hello and supper for supper. My little cousin (not so little anymore - she is a teenager) seemed to enjoy holding him. Also Christophe seemed to be taken by Daniel, the youngest of the family (I think he is 10 now). It was cute to watch him stare and smile at him.

Dining in Toronto with Baby

Restaurant: Joy Bistro
Address: 884 Queen St. E.
Meal: Saturday Brunch

Stroller Friendly: Yes both patio and inside - The staff were great at choosing a table were the stroller was out of the way and easy for us to reach.

Change Table: No - We had to place some paper towels on the floor then a blanket and make our own change table. The floor in the barrier free washroom are cleaner and more spacious.

Breastfeeding: The booths are very comfy for breast-feeding. While I was nursing the staff left us alone, I found it amusing that as soon as I was done nursing the waiter came by and filled my water glass; it was like he was waiting for the green light that is was ok to approach us. All in all I felt comfortable nursing.

Server: Good without being exceptional.

Food: Average.

Dining in Toronto with Baby

Geoff and I have always enjoyed eating out at restaurants; however since Christophe has been born we have not attempted too many outings until recently. Anyone who knows me well; will tell you I am not to fond of most "family restaurants". Being a vegetarian there is usually only a veggie burger or veggie wrap to chose from.

That been said I have decided to blog about the various places we test out with Baby and rate different aspects.

Restaurant: Casa Di Giorgio
Address: 1646 Queen St. E.
Meal: Friday Supper

Stroller Friendly: Patio yes; Inside no - The inside of the restaurant is very tiny which makes it hard to find a spot to park your wheels; we chose to eat on the patio. They were great at helping us chose the perfect spot for our stroller.

Change Table: No - We made sure to be seated on the wooden benches outside; these are long enough to use as a change table in a discreet way. Make sure to bring a plastic bag to hide the dirty diaper in.

Breastfeeding: The benches on the patio are very comfy for breast feeding; I am not sure I would have been able to breast-feed on the patio chairs due to the chair arms. The staff and patrons did not make any comments or treat us differently while I was feeding. While I was nursing him the waitress came up and took our order just like any other table.

Server: Our waitress was extra great with Christophe stopping to talk to him each time she was at our table.

Food: As always the food here is great; they have probably been one of my favorite Italian spot in the city for a while now.