[blparent] questions

Tue Feb 2 03:56:33 UTC 2010

Amy, congratualations on your upcoming birth.  March 21 is my very good
friends birthday and she shares it with her daughter Kristin.  I also have
another friend who has that birthdate and she shares it with her twin
sister. Must be a great day! V

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of amyprovencal at att.net
Sent: Monday, February 01, 2010 6:51 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blparent] questions

Hi Dena, this is Amy Provencal, I have been on this list for just over a 
year, and we are expecting our first March 21st, as an expecting Mom, I just

wanted to thank you, if I may, for your helpful insight and words of 
encouragement, that you shared to Leslie in this post. I certainly 
appreciated what you said as well, and your perspectives are well taken, 
thank you for sharing -
Oh, by the way, I am planning on breast feeding, and I have a Medella 
bagpack style pump, as I will need to return to work after about 8 weeks, it

came highly recommended too.
Amy
What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity.  These are but 
triffles, to be sure; but, scattered along life's pathway, the good they do 
is inconceivable." - Joseph Addison, English poet
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dena Wainwright" <dena at envogueaccess.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 7:42 PM
Subject: Re: [blparent] questions

> there are 30 CCs in an ounce. So, if they tell you to give him 20 CCs, 
> you'll be giving him two thirds of an ounce. In terms of measuring, you 
> can get very small bottles (like 2 and 3 ounce sizes). The very top line 
> on the bottle is the maximum measurement. So, if you have a 3 ounce 
> bottle, the top line is 3 ounces. Some bottles have tactile lines on them.

> E.g., I know the Dr. Browns bottles do.
>
> You can use a small funnel to pour in the milk or formula. Also, if you're

> using formula, you can buy premade formula in quantities as small as 2 
> ounces, so obviously, if he drinks all of it, he'll be drinking 2 
> ounces...half of it, and he'll be drinking 1 ounce, etc...
>
> It didn't take me long before I could literally measure the number of 
> ounces in a bottle just by holding it in my hand. I was accurate down to 
> the half ounce. I know half an ounce is a lot right now, but when he's 
> taking in 2-4 ounces a feeding, that method can work OK. You can also get 
> syringes that hold very small amounts (like a half to a full ounce). You 
> can use those initially with a finger feeder to get the milk into him. We 
> used a finger feeder with Elise initially to prevent nipple confusion, but

> abandoned that when I began pumping exclusively.
>
> You won't necessarily need to supplement. Obviously, if he's not gaining 
> weight quickly enough, or if you have supply issues, then supplementing 
> will be necessary, but you can do a lot to up your supply. My best advice 
> is pump, pump, pump. The more you demand milk from your body, the more it 
> will hopefully make. Initially, you don't get much. I hardly misted the 
> bottom of the collection bottle at the beginning, but at the height of my 
> pumping experience, I could get a full collection bottle per side.
>
> Speaking of pumping, the other suggestion I have is, if you don't have a 
> really good pump, I would seriously consider renting or buying one. The 
> best brands, from what I've researched and heard, and from my own 
> experience are Medella and Ameda. I had an Ameda and loved it.
>
> Regarding the nurse's questions, I know she's concerned about your ability

> to care for your baby, but I would make sure the questions are being asked

> respectfully, and from the point of view of genuine curiosity, and not 
> from the standpoint of "I'm going to grill you, and if you don't answer 
> all of my questions the way I want you to, I'm going to call CPS." All new

> mothers (sighted or not) know very little about the day to day care of an 
> infant. Before I had Elise, I had never changed a baby's diaper. I was 
> fortunate, because my nursing staff was amazing, and allowed me to ask 
> questions comfortably. When Elise was a day old, I said to my nurse "I 
> think she needs to be changed, but I don't really know how to do it. Will 
> you show me how to do it properly?" She guided me through the process the 
> first few times, and then watched me do it alone a few more times, and by 
> the time we left the hospital, I felt much better about it. I don't think 
> the issue is whether or not you know everything; it's about whether or not

> you're willing to learn what you need to effectively care for your child. 
> Because he is a premature baby, you will need to learn things about caring

> for a baby that many of us never did. Because my baby had reflux and 
> colic, I now know more about both of those issues than I ever hoped to.
>
> You will make mistakes. Every single one of us on this list has. Every 
> single sighted parent I know has, too. It's just a part of parenthood. All

> you can do is to do the best you can every day. There will be great days, 
> where you feel like you've got this parenting thing down to a science, and

> other days when you will wonder how you were able to convince anyone to 
> let you leave the hospital with this defenseless creature. It is the most 
> challenging (and the most rewarding) job you will ever do.
>
> Dena
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Leslie Hamric" <lhamric930 at comcast.net>
> To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 2:06 PM
> Subject: [blparent] questions
>
>
>> Hi all.  I have some questions.  When you have a baby who's breast fed, 
>> how
>> do you know whether he has a wet or poopie diaper?  Is it something 
>> that's
>> determined by feel and if so, how do you know the difference?  I guess 
>> the
>> poop doesn't smell from breast milk.  The nurse I talked to today said 
>> we'll
>> probably end up having to supplement with formula so I'll have to do both
>> breast and bottle feeding.  What's the best way to pour formula in the
>> bottle?  Since Michaels a premie, I need to keep track of how many cc's 
>> he's
>> taking in.  The cc's can be determined in ounces too.  How do you keep 
>> track
>> of how much he's taking in without being able to see the measuring lines 
>> on
>> the bottle?  The nurse I worked with today has been asking me questions I
>> don't know the answers to and it's kind of overwhelming.  I figured the 
>> best
>> thing would be to post on list and hopefully get some good ideas like I
>> always have.
>>
>> Leslie
>>
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>
>
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