7 Quick Takes Friday!

#7

I’m on Painkillers!

When I was on round 1 with these painkillers, in the aftermath of my broken toe, I checked and double-checked and triple-checked the safety of painkillers while breastfeeding. They’re very compatible with breastfeeding, per Dr. Hale.

If any of you breastfeeding mommies out there have not discovered the wonder of Dr. Hale, you must. He wrote Medications and Mother’s Milk and has spent his career understanding how drugs pass into maternal milk. It’s fascinating stuff, and his website (via the above link) can give you info on just about any drug available, including OTC’s. 

It occurred to me yesterday that while the painkillers may be safe for breastfeeding generally, there might be a risk involved since Liam is going under anesthesia in a week for his dreaded circumcision. So this morning I called the breastfeeding hotline on Dr. Hale’s site.

Would you believe that an actual doctor answered the phone? This place is amazing! No phone operators, not even nurses, but actual doctors! Who answered after half a ring! She also explained the minimal amount of painkillers that enter the milk and the short half-life, and how if I wait three hours after taking the medicine it will have completely left my system and the baby will get none of it. She assured me that there is little to no risk of an interaction with the anesthesia but told me to find out exactly which medication they are using for Liam and call back to make certain. 

I’m amazed. In this world of bureaucracy, this is nothing short of miraculous. And how cool that a doctor would decide to make this his life’s work and completely revolutionize the understanding of the mechanics of breastfeeding, as well as what is and isn’t compatible with it. Dr. Hale rocks.

#6

Does Anyone Else

have trouble spelling the word bureaucracy? Up above, it took me six tries before I got it right, and the final effort was after googling it. Then just now I spelled it wrong again. And had to look up above to see the correct spelling. 

What’s with that word? I get that it comes from bureau, but why? Isn’t a bureau a chest of drawers? How does that relate to an organization of inept people following inept rules? 

#5

Maybe if it was This Kind of Bureau

I could understand why that word came into common use to describe government agencies. But somehow I don’t think that’s what those who first chose this word had in mind. 

#4

Speaking of People Doing Crazy Things

the Ogre and I have started making rosaries and jewelry! I’m going to get some pictures up soon, and if you’re interested we’ll be selling some. And we’ll custom-make whatever you want. 

It’s surprising how much the Ogre loves it. He’s really good at it, too; he made my mom, my sister and my second mom necklaces for Christmas, he made me a really cool bracelet, and he made Sienna a ring. All from scratch. He makes his own clasps too. It’s pretty neat. 

I’m sticking to the rosaries; I’m good at those and not so good at the jewelry. I think this is a direct result of my decided preference for wearing hair ties around my wrist instead of bracelets. I mean, you can’t pull your hair out of a baby’s grasp with a bracelet, can you? Also, as it happens, I seem to be very good at making babies. So I’m sticking to my strengths. 

#3

Once Upon a Time

around the same time this picture was taken, I used to be pretty good at writing poetry too. But whatever brain cells allow for the creative process that evokes poesis to happen apparently melt when you spend your days wiping bottoms, giving time-outs, and cleaning peanut butter off the furniture. 

I’ve been thinking about returning to it lately, but at the end of the day the absolute last thing I want to do is write or read poetry. What I really want to do is collapse in front of a comedy and fall asleep while watching it. 

Has this happened to other mothers out there? Has something that you once considered a passion taken such a backseat to mothering that it’s exhausting to even think about returning to it? 

#2

Over at Jen’s Place

she asked the question, “If you could invite any eight people to dinner, who would it be?”

Here’s my not-even-remotely-thought-out answer (in no particular order):

1. Adam Baldwin