SailorGirlfriend.com Blog

I can't believe I have been able to breastfeed my son for this long. It is the best gift. The benefits of his own mother's milk is undeniable. Because it has antibodies (unlike formula), my son's immune system is great and he hasn't gotten really sick yet! Knock on wood! Also, because mother's milk is organic, it's easy on his stomach and easily digestible. I can list about 10 more benefits but then this will really drag on. Today I am celebrating 11 months of being able to breastfeed my son. My goal is to start weaning him after his 1st birthday!  

My initial plan was just to breastfeed him for 6 months and then put him on formula for the last 6 months. It was so tough on me to get used to breastfeeding at the beginning. It hurt a lot for the first couple of months. I was getting all these blisters on my nipples and they were so sore. After awhile they got used it and then I got mastitis! I was rushed into ER by my husband because my temperature reached 103 degrees. Anyway, that is another story that I don't want to dwell on for this post. 

I know there are lots of American moms who don't breastfeed; either because they weren't producing enough or they have to work full time. I don't work so I take this opportunity to provide my son the best nutrition he can get from me. My son's doctor always gives me a praise for every check up for continuing to breastfeed him. It is so much better than formula and takes some hard work on my part at the beginning. I really enjoy the bonding time that I also get from nursing him. 

A few months ago, he started getting his first 2 bottom teeth and now 4 more grew on top. While I was nursing him to sleep for his nap today, he would bite my nipples a little with them. It kind of hurt but not too bad. It's a sign that he is growing quickly and will soon need to start weaning. He is eating more solids now and growing significantly taller in the last 2 months. 

Last month, I debated on how long I can really keep this up. It was before the biting started happening. Now, I realize it's not realistic to breastfeed him for another year. Breast milk is always better than cow's milk. We're going to give him a cup of milk to start to see how his stomach can handle it.

Last month, we stayed at the Hyatt Place City Center in downtown Charlotte, NC for a night and it was a really great hotel. I was really impressed with its location and the rooftop restaurant in the building. This seems to be a higher end Hyatt Place, very comparable to a Hyatt Regency. I recommend staying here if you're looking for a place to stay with luxury in downtown Charlotte. It is also less than a mile from the Bank of America Stadium where the Carolina Panthers play football. The view from our room was exceptional. Ask for their city view room. You pay a bit more but it is worth it. Make sure to make a visit to their rooftop restaurant called Fahrenheit. It has a bar and the service is high class. You also get a view of downtown as well. 
 
(view from our hotel room)

Food from our Dinner at the rooftop Farhrenheit (same building as Hyatt Place City Center)
(This mussels appetizer was delicious and fresh)

(These lobster rolls were under the appetizer section but I ordered it as my entree. They were great and perfect for sharing!)

See hotel information and more pictures of Hyatt Place Charlotte Downtown.

 

When my son was about a couple of months old, he started getting eczema around his arms and legs. I was really worried that he was allergic to our dog. It was something I was very suspicious of because I am allergic to cats and some dogs. 

He was born during the winter in South Carolina so his skin got really dry from the heater in our room and the cold outside. At the time, the only lotion I used was Johnson's baby lotion and after I would apply it on his skin, it would get so red. I was so scared. I took him to the doctor's to get it looked at and initially they didn't think it was eczema and said that it's typical for babies to get weird rashes. I didn't buy it. He told me to stop using Johnson and Johnson products and get a mild cleanser and try Baby Aveeno lotion. So I stopped using the Johnson and Johnson soap and lotion and got what he recommended. 

Well, sometimes it would get better and then sometimes it would get worse over the next couple of months. I went back to the doctor's and he finally confirmed that my baby son does have eczema. Just as I thought! Since during the visit, the doctor got to see the flares at one of its worst, he told me to try the Aquaphor Healing Ointment to see if that helps and a 1% hydrocortisone. When we left the office, I went to CVS to get the biggest tub of that Aquaphor Healing Ointment and 1% hydrocortisone. I would put the Aquaphor on the baby after a bath and although it prevented his skin from drying, it makes the rashes/eczema so red. It looked horrible! I also put the hydrocortisone on so he wouldn't itch as much. He was still itchy. I know that I have to continually use it to get results. Some days it got better and some days it got worse. So after a couple of weeks of it, I gave up and did some more online research.

I stumbled on a forum that said to try the California Baby Face & Body Aromatherapy cream. I applied that on the baby and even though it is organic, I feel like it's really acidic and really made his eczema itchy! I stopped using it almost right away.

Over time, I would switch back and forth with all the products and hope one would finally work. Then on my most recent check up with the doctors, the nurse gave us some Baby Aveeno lotion samples made especially for babies with eczema. I put it on the baby after his bath and I could tell it wasn't irritating him at all, not like the other ones. After using it every other day, his eczema significant improved! And now after two weeks, they are gone. Amazing! I couldn't believe it. My baby is 11 months now. He had eczema for over 9 months. The Baby Aveeno Eczema Therapy Lotion was the only one that worked and is the only lotion that I continually put on him so the eczema doesn't come back. My baby is so much happier and he is not sitting on the floor scratching his legs like crazy anymore.

Recently, I've read all three Divergent books (Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant) within a span of 6 days! I couldn't stop reading. They were so well written. 

You can't help but think during the whole time how this applies to our current society with job roles. Some people are computer programmers while others are nurses, etc. 

I particularly had a great pull towards the dauntless factor. I think many people reading the books would want to too. I like to think myself as brave. It also makes me feel proud knowing that they associate this faction with a lot of piercings and tattoos. I've had my tattoo on my chest when I was 24 years old so for 7 years now. I know some people look at me and ask me why I have it there. I don't like to have to tell people because it's none of their business. I have metal plates and screws under my chest so that is why. The water/fire yin yang tattoo represents life for me. It's bigger than I imagined initially but I still like it and have no regrets. 

I'm really glad the books and movie became a big hit. I think people will change their minds about people with tattoos. Every tattoo usually has a meaning. I like that the books associate the Dauntless people with tattoos as brave. Thank you Divergent and Veronica Roth!

I've been craving a lot of ice cream lately. I have mint chocolate chip from Edy's and coffee flavor from Prestige in the freezer right now. Usually I don't eat much ice cream. Maybe only when I am out at the mall or at a restaurant on a rare occasion. However, lately I've been craving it and I wonder if it's my body telling me that I need more fat content to feed the baby?

My baby son is now 10 months old and I am still breastfeeding. He's been thinning out in the last couple of months because he's crawling and more mobile now. I've read that this is normal so I am not too concerned about it. I also have read that I need to eat as healthy as I can while I am nursing so that he gets the nutrition he needs. He has also been eating baby food since he was 6 months old. But recently, as of 2 days ago, he wouldn't want his baby food. I've tried giving him different flavors, from chicken and rice to blueberry apple and pear and apricots but he's turned his head away to all of them. So we've moved him on to the next stage with rice cups and small cereals from the baby food section so he can start learning to self feed. He liked them a lot so far. And of course, my breast milk is still where he gets his primary food. I've been eating healthier before the ice cream started; like a lot of protein, vegetables and a little side of carbs. 

Anyway after I have been eating a lot of ice cream in the last several days, I noticed that my baby now looks chubbier yesterday. I wonder if that's the result from the ice cream? Maybe it was a coincidence too? I'm so glad he looks chubbier since he was a little bit under average for weight in the last check up we had. I just want him to stay in the average area. He is still measuring above average for height and has been since the 2 week check up. 

Maybe ice cream is what he needs me to consume so he gets enough fat content? By the way, I still weigh less than I was before I got pregnant. Before I was pregnant, I was 120 lbs. Before I gave birth, I was 144 lbs. Today I am 112 lbs.