Baby Advice/Comments

So far in this pregnancy, I've only had a handful of unwanted comments or advice that have really ticked me off.

I had one co-worker continuously comment on my clothing choices and that got a little out of hand after the fifth or sixth comment.  I get it.  You are actively tracking my wardrobe choices and I get the feeling you don't approve.  Well, too fucking bad lady.  Maybe I don't want to borrow one of your mumus for the rest of my pregnancy.

The other comment that I absolutely hate is when other parents say "Are you ready for this?" when their children are behaving badly.  I have no illusions that my child will be perfect and a total dream and easy to work with.  I'm quite realistic, but when your child acts up because of poor parenting choices, I don't think that really applies to me and my child yet.  It's a bit presumptuous and I take slight offense to it.

I know all this is said with good intentions, but after the millionth tantrum by said child and millionth "Ready?" comment, I think I get the message.  So save your breath and keep it to yourself.

Cord Blood and Tissue Banking

This is something that the hubster and I have been looking in to.  We decided to enroll in a free "class" to educate ourselves about banking cord blood and tissue.  Our care provider teams up with Stemcyte and provides a free, one-hour "class".  I did not go into this blindly.  I knew first and foremost, it would be a sale pitch, but I was hoping that I would come out of it with some new information that I didn't know before.


I had already discussed it some with my doctor and I knew where I was headed with my decision, but the hubster really wanted to get more information.  I couldn't see how it could hurt.  Famous last words?


It was full class of 9 couples.  We were offered snack and refreshments before the "class" started.  It did not start well.  We watched 3 videos; one which was produced by KPBS and actually featured my first OB/GYN with Sharp (she ended up moving her practice to Del Mar and I was not going to follow her) and two which were essentially utilizing scare tactics on soon-to-be parents.


Our "teacher" was an older gentleman who obviously was trained to present the information as fact without claiming it to be fact - loosely thowing out that stem cells will cure your baby of autism or help the baby walk again.


One of the slides said that there were 70 studies going on in China that treated X, Y, and Z, illnesses.  That was it.  And maybe that's the point.  There are studies going on, but no one really needs to know whether these studies were successful, what the outcomes were, or where they were being done.


It's blatant lying in my opinion.  I get they are selling a service, but what also galls me is that they also play up donating your cord blood and tissue to their "public" bank.  Sounds all nice and for the sake of humanity and all, but what you can later infer is that they later on charge insurance companies $50k to use any of the donated cord blood and tissue that they harvested for free or free from the mothers.  I'm sure they pay Sharp a heavy fee to have staff in their hospital 5 days a week from 6 am to 11 pm to collect donated blood.


It was just scare tactics of all the potential illnesses that your baby could come down with and would desperately need cord blood, but also grandma and grandpa.  They are getting old!  They will need your baby's cord tissue for their survival!  If you this to be available, you should extort your parents for $5k apiece!


I believe that there are 80 diseases that can be treated and cured by the use of stem cells.  80 diseases back by scientific data and studies that pass through a rigorous process.  I, however, do not believe stem call can claim ongoing research and trials as cures for autism, Alzheimer's, stroke, and a slew of other illnesses.  Don't get me wrong.  I think great things can be done with cord blood and the potential it has is unlimited at this point.  There is a lot of research in this field and maybe 10-15 years from now, this will be standard.


We are still on the fence about going forward with this, not because we don't believe in the PROVEN science, it's more the cost.  I'm also not crazy about using this company.  I don't approve of their sales practices.

Sweaty Hands and Feet

I can handle the growing belly.
I can handle that I can't sleep on my back anymore and now have back pain as a result.
I can handle the heartburn.
I can handle the swollen hands and feet.
I can handle most of the changes that happen during pregnancy.


BUT


I hate that my hands and feet sweat so much!  I can't use the apple id touch feature on my phone and I hate how my feet feel in my flip flops because they are wet from sweat!  GROSS.

Getting Our Learn On

The hubster and I attended one of our first baby classes.  Last night's agenda was breastfeeding.  I don't think I've heard the words "nipple" and "breast" said so many times in a short period of time (3 hours).


Lessons I learned:

1. There are a lot of grumpy looking pregnant women.
2. Only I like to sit on the floor with bolsters.
3. The animation of a baby breastfeeding is terrifying.
4. My body is not my own.
5. Breastfeeding and pumping are not intuitive.
6. Sitting for 3 hours is a non-starter.

Next up is childbirth preparation class.  Joy!

Red is my practice baby

Feeding Red a 'human food' snack is the closest thing I have to feeding a baby. Here's how it usually goes:

I call out to Red.
She ignores me.
I call out the word and say the magic word, 'snack'.
She comes running.
I hold out snack in my hand. In this example, it's cantaloupe.
She takes cantaloupe for my hand and immediately spits it out.
I'm prepared for this and catch said cantaloupe in my hand.
I hold cantaloupe in front of her mouth and follow her mouth as she turns away several times.
Red finally accepts cantaloupe and tosses it around in her mouth a few times.
I follow her mouth with my hand in case she spits it out again.

Isn't this what kids do?