Sometimes You Have to Agree to Disagree

I used to trust doctors. Until I started doing things like researching on the internet and watching shows like Mystery Diagnosis. Now, I feel that the profession is just like any other--filled with the good, the bad, and the completely incompetent.

Having my son come early left me without a pediatrician lined up for his care. I hastily agreed to see one that came very highly recommended by a family member. Let's just say it was not love at first sight. That first meeting was rather disappointing. I was in my hospital room when he came to see me. I had no questions for him other than his opinion on vaccinations. I really wanted to feel him out on this issue having just done a bunch of research myself. He told me, "I hope you haven't read The Vaccine Book." Really?! He went on, "I just skimmed through it, but it's not a good book." I questioned him about the studies citied in the book. "All those are bad studies," he said. Really? All of them? I'm so sure he actually went out and read every single one, especially since he admitted to not even reading the book itself. Red flag, right there. However, he was very kind and I got the feeling he was a very gentle and caring physician. And, he is. He is just not right for our family.

Throughout the last 15 months we have had various differences of opinion. On certain issues I remained silent, such as co-sleeping, but on others I couldn't help but to speak out. We disagreed about many things, including vaccinations, iron supplementation in an exclusively breastfed baby, and most recently, the care of a natural (uncircumcised) penis. There was never a raised voice or angry tone, just uncomfortable conversation and a general feeling of conflict.

At our last visit, we argued about at what average age a boy's foreskin will naturally become retractable. Predictably, neither side budged. This was brought up after he held my son's penis and manipulated the foreskin so he could see the urethra and size of the foreskin opening. He did not tell me he was going to do this, and he did not offer any explanation as to why it was medically relevant. Everything I have read about the foreskin has told me that this is completely unnecessary. Of course, he wouldn't listen to me as I tried to explain to him my reason for concern. He tried to tell me that it was necessary to wash the end of the glans, and when I told him I did not believe that was true, he then thought I was somehow talking about lifting the penis to clean between it and the scrotum. Really, I don't know how he could have thought that's what I meant. Conversations like that always happened. Either he didn't like what I was saying and tried to twist my words, or truly believed I was that dumb. I never felt like he even listened to anything I said, or gave me any credibility whatsoever as a rational, educated adult.

After this visit I was determined that I could somehow educate him with the knowledge that I have on the subject. I also wanted to validate my argument. I dropped off an envelope with information about the average age of natural foreskin separation along with a letter which stated he was not to touch my son's penis without my permission. Two weeks later I received a certified letter stating that he was terminating our physician-patient relationship.

I had never been anything but kind to this man, and I feel that he just did not want to enter into any kind of discussion. All I ever wanted to do was to have a rational, meaningful conversation. I felt like he wanted nothing to do with any opinion that wasn't his and didn't respect me enough to even listen.

The Five Stages of Grief

There are many things that may trigger us to experience grief. I was unexpectedly overwhelmed by my emotional response to the realization that neither my husband nor I will every be able to experience sex in a normal and natural way. My husband is circumcised. I was okay with this until I began to research and learn about the functions of the foreskin. Now, I grieve the loss of an experience I can never have.

Denial
I don't believe the denial stage lasted very long for me. At first, I really didn't think that the foreskin would make much of a difference in my experience. I knew how sex was with partners who were cut, and I wasn't complaining. The more information I took in, the more I realized that there was a difference--that I was missing out on something.

Anger
 I don't know that I will ever stop being angry about this. I am still angry. I am angry every day that this was not only taken (forcefully, without consent) from my husband, but it was also taken from me. My anger runs deep to the core of my being. It is an intense anger that drives me to fight to stop this senseless practice.

Bargaining
I am not sure how one can bargain over the loss of a foreskin. There is nothing I can do to change the past. I can only hope to bring my husband around to my side. I would absolutely love it if he would attempt to restore, but I feel that it will be a long emotional journey before we reach that point.

Depression
I have always been prone to bouts of depression. It seems to come and go sometimes without reason or explanation. This time it hit me hard. I felt defeated and dejected for days. I did not want to be intimate with my husband, every time I looked at him it reminded me of what we were both missing, of what I could not have. It made me even more sad that I felt I couldn't talk to him about it. I still don't feel like I can talk to him about it.

Acceptance
It will never be okay. It will never be alright that my husband was cut. But perhaps I can learn to live with it. I can accept that this is the man I love and I love him even if he is not whole.

 It is true that in time all wounds will heal. Becoming an intactivist and fighting to help those that need to be protected from unnecessary circumcision is helping me to heal. One day all our children will be protected from genital modification.

No One to Blame

There has been an awful lot of anger running through my mind lately. Frustrating anger that cannot be directed at any particular person. Anger about my husband's circumcision.

I am angry that I have not been able to experience natural sex with a normal penis.

I am angry that I am reluctant to have sex with my husband since becoming aware of the purpose and anatomy of the foreskin.

I am angry that every time I look at his penis I see it as damaged.

I am angry that this surgery was done without his consent.

I am angry that he doesn't agree with me that it is unnecessary.

I am angry that I feel unwilling to broach the subject with him because I don't want him to become sad or angry over what he is missing.

I am angry that countless other boys and men will have to deal with this injustice until we successfully put an end to this barbaric practice.

I am angry that I have no one to blame.

I cannot blame my husband, the choice was not his.

I cannot blame his parents, they were told it was beneficial for him.

I cannot blame the doctor who performed the surgery, he was no doubt convinced it was beneficial.

I feel lost in this circle of anger.  Anger without a face.

But I will move on. I have to move on. For all the little boys out there that I can help. All the minds I can free from the misinformation and misguided advice. I will fight to put an end to this cycle of abuse.

Vacay

I will be out of town for a week starting Wednesday, so I probably won't have any posts then. Also, I was gone over the weekend, hence no posts then either...

Cheers.

A Link a Day: The Joy of Cloth Diapers

From Mothering Magazine

"...even in an environmentally conscious town like Boulder, Colorado, I'm surprised at how few parents use cloth."

Interested in cloth diapers? Need something to convince you to take the plunge? This is a great article that compares the pros and cons, including the environmental impact of both cloth and disposables.

Just like this author, I feel that cloth diapering is just a natural extension of my generally crunchy (natural) parenting and living.

I've been told I am "brave" to cloth diaper, and I've also surprised a few, and gotten some funny looks from others. But, I can tell you I feel great that I do it, and I would never choose sposies (disposables).

My K.I.S.S. Baby Theory

There are only four rules:

1. If baby is hungry (rooting, fists in mouth, etc.), feed him.
2. If baby is wet/soiled, change him.
3. If baby cries, pick him up (and probably nurse him).
4. If baby is tired (rubbing eyes, getting crabby), put him down (nurse or rock to sleep if necessary).

That's it.  Happy baby.

A Link a Day: Letting Baby "Cry-It-Out" Yes, No!

Ask Dr. Sears

"...not listening and responding sensitively to baby's cries is a lose-lose situation: Baby loses trust in caregivers and caregivers lose trust in their own sensitivity."

As a mother, I know that every time my newborn cried I got a huge knot in my stomach. Sometimes, I even felt nauseous. How any mother can ignore these feelings is beyond me.

I see a lot of people in our society who are convinced that babies are manipulative from birth and that you can only do harm by soothing their whines and cries. It is so engraved in our culture to resist the natural nurturing instinct that we need to care for our babies.

Every time I see a baby in public I secretly pray that it doesn't cry so I don't have the chance to witness the mother ignoring it.

A Link a Day: ‘Babywise’ Linked to Babies' Dehydration, Failure to Thrive

From: peaceful parenting

"On Becoming Babywise, has raised concern among pediatricians because it outlines an infant feeding program that has been associated with failure to thrive (FTT), poor weight gain, dehydration, breast milk supply failure, and involuntary early weaning."

I did glance through this book once a couple of weeks ago. Definitely contrary to any advice I would give to a new mother. Babies are not all identical, you can't just fit them into the same mold.

After all I have heard and read about this book, I was almost sick when I saw several copies of it prominently displayed at Babies 'R Us.

To anyone considering this book: Put it down and just listen to your baby.

A Link a Day: How to Choose a Pediatrician

How to Choose a Pediatrician

"Most pediatricians offer free interviews, although some may charge for this preliminary visit."

This is something that I never knew you could do. I think it is important that you entrust the healthcare of your child to not only someone you trust, but someone who you feel comfortable with. Someone you can engage in conversation easily with, and who understands your perspective and concerns.

I am always on the fence about changing pediatricians. I probably should trust my gut and see someone else. This is partly because I didn't interview and seek out several candidates, and also because my son was premature and I hadn't had a doctor lined up for him.

Anyway, I think the most important tip to take away from this is to be comfortable with your pediatrician. You can't get optimal care for your child if you feel shy or ignored by your doctor.

A Link a Day: 15 Helpful Tips For a Cesarean Birth

15 Helpful Tips For A Cesarean Birth

"Do NOT feel like a failure. You are a mother and just created a beautiful life!" 

  Being involved in the natural birthing world, there certainly is a lot of pressure put on women to have a vaginal birth. We need to also be supportive of women who need to birth via cesarean.

These tips are great for anyone, regardless of birth plan.

A Link a Day: Hidden Booby Trap: Is Your Lactation “Specialist” an Impostor?

Hidden Booby Trap: Is Your Lactation “Specialist” an Impostor?

"All too often, new parents are getting poor breastfeeding guidance from so-called hospital lactation experts, some of whom are not even experts at all! " 

Although you don't need an official title to be knowledgeable, it's wise to be wary of those with good intentions, but bad advice.

I have experienced this first hand. The hospital where my son was born had what they called "Lactation Counselors." I know now that these nurses had only about 2 hours of training in breastfeeding. I have recently discovered that my son may have an upper lip tie. This could be the reason we did not get off to a smooth start with breastfeeding. No one liked his latch, but never articulated to me why or how to fix it. In stead I was told it was because he was premature and was given a nipple shield, which did work for us. If this has been properly diagnosed in the beginning, I may have had it corrected by now, but instead I'm afraid that it may have to be done under general anesthesia because he is older.

Don't be afraid to ask for the best. Everyone deserves the best help they can get. Make sure your nurse or consultant is an Independent Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

A Link a Day: A Necessary Cesarean by Mother’s Instincts

A Necessary Cesarean by Mother’s Instincts

"I told him something wasn’t right as I cried. I didn’t want surgery but I knew I needed to."

Sometimes it is easy to get so caught up in the idea that cesareans are pointless, evil, and something we would not wish upon our enemies. We have to remember that there is a reason they exist. To save lives.

This story is very touching. It is just as beautiful as a mother trusting her instincts to guide herself through her home birth. It shows us that our bodies do know what to do, that they can even tell us when we need to ask for help.

As much cesarean bashing as I've seen, we need to see more stories like this. We have to remember that even if it's the last thing we want, medical intervention can be necessary and life saving.

A Link a Day: Making Milk When There's No Baby to Feed

Making Milk When There's No Baby to Feed

"Tanya and Jessica talked about the experience of lactation after mothers lose babies – either in pregnancy, at birth, or as infants – and the range of feelings and challenges it rasies [sic]." 

This is a podcast interview with a graduate student who studied women who donated their milk following the loss of their baby.

It's nice to see this topic discussed, mothers need to know that they most likely will have to deal with making milk even without a baby. This podcast touches on the lack of support many of these women get about this issue because it is such a sensitive one, and how it can be healing to know that the milk can help other babies.

Very moving topic.

A Link a Day: npr Special Series: Beginnings: Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Beyond

npr Special Series: Beginnings: Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Beyond

Lots of good articles in this series. Numerous topics covered, definitely check it out!

A Link a Day: Breech Babies Can Turn in Labor and/or Birth Vaginally

Breech Babies Can Turn In Labor and/or Birth Vaginally

"It’s their birth, it’s their way, we’re just going along for the ride." 

I love reading stories of breech birth. Birthing a breech baby has become a lost art. Thanks in part to insurance companies, OBs in America are quick to cut (even before 39 weeks!) if the baby presents as breech.

This trend is reversing, slowly. In Canada, doctors are once again being taught how to catch breech babies. Hopefully this will trickle down to the states.

A Link a Day: Breastfeeding in Emergencies

UNITED STATES BREASTFEEDING COMMITTEE STATEMENT ON INFANT/YOUNG CHILD FEEDING IN EMERGENCIES

"Consider informal human milk donation in a situation where the infant is not with the
mother or she is not lactating, and the person responsible for the baby prefers feeding donor breast milk, and understands the risks and benefits of feeding unpasteurized breastmilk from a healthy donor. 

"Consider the use of pasteurized donor human milk when refrigeration, transportation, safe water, and basic infrastructure are in place, if an infant’s mother is not available due to separation or death, or as supplement when a mother’s milk supply is inadequate. 

"Control the distribution of purchased infant formula so that it is offered only to those
infants who do not have access to human milk. "

All these points are awesome. This document is intended for all local, state, and federal emergency policy.

There is much more good information in the statement, including offering information on relactation, and providing lactation professionals to breastfeeding women.

Love These Moments

The other day, a coworker asked me what I thought about the new "slip-on" diapers. I told her I'd never heard of them. We were standing in the diaper aisle at the time, and said, "I don't know anything about any of this stuff." She seemed surprised and asked if I used cloth. I replied I did and noted how much I loved saving money by not buying disposables. I told her it's a lot easier to run the washer than to run out of diapers.

I love to surprise people by being different. I love to show my enthusiasm for things that aren't "mainstream." I love that I chose an environmentally (and wallet) friendlier way to care for my child, and that I don't know anything about doing it any other way.

Circumcision

I wasn't going to touch this subject with a ten-foot pole, BUT...

I do feel it is relevant to the topic of birth in this country. It is the time when all mothers are asked if they will have this surgery performed on their boys.

I don't care if anyone disagrees with me, but I would like to try to present some factual information on the subject. I know there are a lot of women and men out there who are looking for information and guidance.

The following article sites a very recent study, published last spring.

A Link a Day: 100 Deaths Caused Annually by Circumcision

Infant circumcision causes 100 deaths each year in US

"To put this in perspective, about 44 neonatal boys die each year from suffocation, and 8 from auto accidents. About 115 neonatal boys die annually from SIDS, nearly the same as from circumcision." 

According to this article, the study hints that these deaths are often kept hush-hush. It is strange to me that as a society, we feel that we, as Americans, are a modern, just, ethical culture. We balk at such atrocities as genocide in Sudan and terrorism. I have a feeling that if I asked most Americans if they would condone the mutilation of the genitals of their babies, most would say absolutely not. But, when you hide behind the euphemism, "circumcision," suddenly it's perfectly acceptable.

We as Americans hide this problem because our culture often takes on the view that we are morally superior to other nations. We have freedom of speech and a democratic government and so on. We feel we are morally superior because we condemn (and outlaw) female genital mutilation (FGM).

We are NOT superior. We constantly mutilate, cause harm to, and kill infant boys over something that has absolutely no net benefit. (Except to the medical industry, and those who buy and sell foreskins for medical or cosmetic uses.)

A Link a Day: Screening to Reduce Preterm Births

Study urges screening for condition that leads to preterm births

"Compared with a placebo, daily use of Prochieve by women with short cervixes reduced births before 28 weeks - when death and disability are most likely - by half."

 In an age where more are more women are growing suspicious of interventions during pregnancy, this may not be a bad idea. This study shows a benefit for women whose cervix prematurely shortens, or "ripens" between 19 and 24 weeks of pregnancy. The results not only reduced preterm birth before 28 weeks, but there were also fewer preterm births at any gestational age.

No side effects or risks are noted in the article, but as a mother of a preemie, it is very intriguing.