Moon Cycle

You may have heard that women can ovulate with the moon cycles, but is it really true? Some studies have actually been done on this topic, and they have, for the most part, been inconclusive.  I am convinced that it is real though, because it happened to me!

Is Pseudoephedrine Safe for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding?

My sinuses hate me.  I am prone to severe sinus headaches if I get the tiniest head cold.  Before I had Ewan, I would just pop two Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) and two Tylenol (aceteminophen) and it would clear it up.  Now, I have to use other methods.

Pseudoephedrine is known to decrease milk production by 24% with just one dose, according to Aljazaf et al, 2003.  Wow!

The other day I woke up with a really bad sinus headache.  I could barely open my eyes and I even felt a little nauseous when I got out of bed.  It was so bad that my husband called him mom to come over and babysit while I stayed in bed a while.  I am so grateful to have available grandparents nearby to allow me to sleep in when I need to.

I took two Tylenol, which are approved as safe, and a couple of spritzes of Afrin, also safe.

My doctor told me to try Afrin, or a similar over-the-counter nasal spray, when I told him I needed a reliable method of relief without risk.  This works for me.  I rarely have to take more than one dose.

(Note on Afrin: Follow the dosage directions carefully!  Using it too frequently or for too long can cause even more congestion to occur.)

I was avoiding pseudoephedrine during pregnancy, too.  We went to Park City, Utah for a week in January and stayed in a forced-air heated condo.  My sinuses protested the dry air by giving me a headache.  I tried hot tea.  I tried a hot shower.  I tried massaging my head.  I even tried filling the sink with hot water and sanding over it with a towel over my head, breathing in the steam.   I needed this website!  I also needed Afrin.  By the end of the day, the headache went away.

Although some doctors may say it is approved, not enough studies have been done to conclusively say that pseudoephedrine is safe for pregnancy.  Tom Hale, the authority on medications and lactation (author of Medications and Mother's Milk) rates pseudoephedrine a "C" for pregnancy.  This means "risk cannot be ruled out" because not enough studies have been done.  Hale also rates it a L3 ("moderately safe") for occasional use but an L4 ("potentially hazardous") for chronic use.

The lactation ratings are probably based on it's known side effect of decreasing milk supply, not on its effect on the baby, but I'm not sure.  The study by Aljazaf et al, 2003 previously mentioned says that less than 10% of the maternal dose gets to the breastfeeding baby, even if the mother takes the maximum amount allowed for a 24 hour period.

During pregnancy, the baby will receive significantly more of the dose taken by the mother, and some researchers believe there to be a risk of birth defects in multiple areas.  Here's a midwife's discussion of the possible risks.  And here is a listing from SafeFetus.com.

I am not taking an chances, so I will be avoiding pseudoephedrine for the foreseeable future.

Click here for a list of medications and their ratings on Kellymom.com.

Visit my Recommended Books page to buy Hale's book Medications and Mother's Milk through Amazon.

Breastfeeding Essentials: What you need to buy BEFORE your baby arrives

When making a baby registry, items like bedding, clothes, and diapers for the baby are usually top priority, but there are items do you need to buy before your baby arrives to be prepared for breastfeeding, too.  Buy some of these products before you have your baby so you don't need to go to a store in the first few weeks.

Jaundice 101

Every newborn has elevated levels of bilirubin in the first 24hrs of life.  Here's how to prevent it from becoming the most common type of jaundice.

My weight loss after pregnancy

Before I got pregnant, I was 130 lbs and wore a size 4.  I gained 40 lbs while pregnant, which is over the recommended amount.  Now, I have been breastfeeding for 7 1/2 months, and I am 120 lbs and a size 2.  Some people might say this is great, but I'm not so sure.

Attachment parenting is NOT anti-feminist

I just read an article on the UK Guardian's website about French feminist, Elisabeth Badinter, who disapproves of attachment parenting as anti-feminist.

The first two weeks really suck

I was lucky that I read some great books about breastfeeding before I ever tried it, and Ewan didn't have any problems latching on. Even though I had no problems, the first few weeks were really hard.

I had a serious bruise on my right nipple and even had a small lesion. For the first three weeks it hurt really bad whenever Ewan would first latch on. I would brace myself for the pain and wince. I think he could tell that I was doing that because I would see him wince too. It stopped though. Now, it never hurts at all.

The lactation consultant at the hospital told me that breatfeeding should never hurt, but I found that the first few weeks did hurt.  When I was pregnant I heard from some women that you should rub your nipples with a towel or something, but then I learned from the lactation consultant at the hospital that that is not a good idea.  It is a myth that your nipples will "toughen up" after a while. My nipples now are still very sensitive and soft.  Babies can get calluses on their lips from nursing but your nipples won't get calluses.

The first weeks suck because you are learning how to breatfeed while teaching your baby to do it too. The only things babies are born knowing are how to suck and swallow and how to find the nipple. They don't know how to latch on so they don't injure you. That's what you have to teach them.

My advice is too talk to a lactation consultant even if you think you are doing fine. They will ensure that you are doing fine and they can give you the really awesome hydrogel nipple pads for sore nipples. Lanolin is good, but it wasn't strong enough for me during the first few weeks.

Worries about milk supply

I recently read in Breastfeeding Made Simple that uncomfortably full breasts are not supposed to happen all of the time.  Early in breastfeeding it's common, apparently, but it is not supposed to keep happening later.

I was worried that my milk production was going down and that Ewan wasn't getting enough milk.  My worries were totally unfounded though, because he is still gaining weight just fine and having dirty diapers.

I discovered that I actually have an over-abundant milk supply!  That's why I was feeling my breasts get so full all of the time.

When my milk supply decreased to a good, comfortable level, I freaked out and thought I didn't have enough milk.  I had no idea that what I was feeling was actually normal, according to the authors of that book.

I've already been exclusively breastfeeding for three months and I still have so much to learn!