Does Breastfeeding Cause Loss of Sensation?

I was watching Rachael Ray last week (a re-run) and she had Dr. Lisa Masterson on there answering women's questions. Dr. Masterson is on the show, The Doctors on CBS. She is one of four in lab coats on the show and Dr. Masterson is the only female out of the four doctors.

There was one question new mothers might be interested in so I wrote it down so I could post it here. One new mom, who had just finished breastfeeding, had no sensation left in her nipples for intimacy. It just didn't feel good to her anymore whereas it had before nursing. She wanted to know if it was normal.

Dr. Masterson says that the nipples become callused from all the gnawing and suckling that babies do and that it IS normal. She said that sensation would come back. I didn't have this problem myself after nursing for 26 months but if you have this problem, or are worried about it once breastfeeding is finished, I hope this helps!

Discipline

Disciplining as a new parent can be tough. Am I being too strict? Not strict enough? Am I raising a spoiled child? Am I breaking their spirit? Am I providing proper consistency and structure? Do I discipline or pick my battles?

How do you know when how you parent is going to raise responsible, loving children into responsible, loving adults? That's my goal. Do I have to wait until they are adults to see if what I am doing is going to work or do I have some indication that it is now?

As a parent, you are going to make mistakes. When I make a mistake, I apologize to my children and move on (just as I expect them to apologize when they need to). I expect basic manners and considerations from them. I don't think I ask too much. Sometimes I wonder if I am asking enough of them. I believe parents need to have expectations for their children and I don't think enough parents do anymore. If I don't have expectations for them, how will they learn to have expectations for themselves?

Tonight I was reading about a family constitution written by a man named Scott Gale who created it to help with his family issues. It was very interesting reading.

Urge to Have Baby

We've decided, after four of our own children and my two stepchildren, that we have finished adding to our family. Even though I feel the urge every so often to have another child, the desire to be done with around the clock "baby" seems slightly stronger - enough to where I am not devastated over not having another child. Now when I hold them, I enjoy returning them to their mommies when they start crying. That's a great sign that I am over the major urge to keep reproducing. Considering I have felt that urge since my teens (seriously!), it's been a long time coming. I have four beautiful kids of my own and the maternal bond is strong and we couldn't be happier.

I have a sister due to have her second child soon. It's been 15 years since she had her last child so it will truly be starting over with sleepless nights, around the clock feedings, and diapers. She's had her baby shower already and I'm sure received many baby gift baskets full of necessities for her future second son.

Potty Training

We are right in the middle of potty training our youngest child. I will be BEYOND happy to finally be rid of pull-ups forever. Out of all the kids I've potty trained, she has definitely been the most stubborn. Might have something to do with the fact that she's the baby of the large family (and spoiled by all).

She's resisted potty training for quite awhile but as of yesterday, she's come on board and is doing her best. We are going to use rewards (toys and our time as rewards). I am looking at toys from the Only hearts club. She also has one special toy that she's picked out herself that will be the "finale" gift when she's potty trained. Spending time doing something special together will be another reward.

I am hopeful that this attempt of hers will be it! I'd love to have potty training behind us.

The BEST Diaper Rash Treatment EVER!

I have four children and two stepchildren. I've been down the road of painful diaper rashes many times. Sometimes it is raw and open and sometimes it is red, like a burn.

A couple of months ago, my youngest had a diaper rash that I could not get rid of. I tried over-the-counter creams. I tried a prescription cream from the doctor. It did no good and I had a child crying all the time, in pain. When I took her back to her pediatrician, he told me of a great alternative that is used at the children's hospitals.

He said to buy Aquaphor and Maalox, mix some together and use that. You're probably wondering, "Huh? Maalox?" He said it would neutralize any acid causing that burn on her skin.

So I tried it and was very surprised to see the painful rash disappear on my daughter's skin. How wonderful!

Well, this last week after a bout of a stomach bug, that bright red, painful rash was back and it was itchy on top of it. I thought I'd substitute Vaseline for Aquaphor (they seemed similar and it was less expensive). It didn't work. After a couple days of sleepless nights and frequent baths to rinse off, I went and bought the Aquaphor. Because everything seemed to burn her very sensitive skin this time around, I thought I'd leave the Maalox out at first to see how just the Aquaphor would do. After one application (laid a towel on the couch, applied it and left her bottom clothes-free and diaper-free to watch her favorite show while it did its work), my daughter was moving around and able to go to the bathroom pain-free. After two applications, you could barely see any redness at all.

What a huge difference. She actually slept through the night last night. After the last three nights of middle of the night crying and middle of the night baths to rinse off, it was a relief (for both of us).

Afraid of that trip down the aisle?

Are you anxious to get your man to the altar yet? Or like in our case, perhaps you are the one tentative to take that final step instead of your other half. My husband asked me to marry him for months before I finally said yes. He was asking me almost from the beginning. I did make him wait several months before I gave him the "yes" he'd been waiting for even though I knew I wanted to have children with this man. He's a good guy.

For me, it was the idea of marrying a man who had other children and an ex-girlfriend that I wouldn't wish on an enemy that held me back. It was a huge step for me and I needed to really think about it, think about whether I was ready to take on the responsibility of somebody else's children, the financial impact that would have on us for years to come, and an ex who despised me from day one. Marriage was a big step!

Once we picked out our rings and picked our way through the minefield after the ex found out about our engagement, we were good to go. We married in a civil ceremony four months after we were engaged. It's been 13 years now. The marriage is still good and strong though we are looking to renew our vows and exchange wedding bands (my wedding ring is very pretty with all the sparkle I love with diamonds) but to renew our vows, I'm looking for a more simpler band like palladium rings. I want a simple ceremony, outdoors and a huge party afterward!

Eye Changes While Pregnant

While pregnant, you might notice your eyes to changing along with the rest of your body. It doesn't happen for everybody but many pregnant women might notice changes in their vision during this time. You should always tell your doctor because while it may be normal for some and temporary, it may also signal problems (like high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.).

I developed migraines while pregnant with my son brought on by the hormones. It was the only time in my life when I had migraines. I curled up under the covers completely to block out light and noise and waited until my vision cleared and numbness in my face and arm went away (several hours). It's how I knew I was carrying a boy as opposed to my daughter before him (I was right). I figured only a male could cause that much pain. Kidding.

If your vision changes, it's not likely they'll change your prescription while you are pregnant because it will take weeks after the birth of your child until your eyes settle back into what will be normal for you (and safe to get new prescription lenses or contacts then). However, it is a good idea to include an eye exam in your prenatal routine along with all the ob/gyn visits due to the other problems that your eye doctor can catch for you like your blood pressure changes.

If you are having more headaches than usual and your doctor has cleared you for any problems, wear Women's Sunglasses when out in the sun. Not only will it protect your eyes from UV rays but it will reduce the squinting which can make those hormone-induced headaches worse!

Go Organic for Baby

We all want what is safe and healthy for our children. We question vaccinations, on whether to go organic, whether to nurse and for how long, and more. We want a healthy baby to grow into a healthy child into a healthy adult.

When you start thinking about organic, most of us think of organic baby food. My sister makes her own baby food using good ingredients, organic whenever she can get them, but did you know there are organic baby clothes too? I didn't until the last few months.