Nicole Brown

Hi,

Just wanted to say thanks for the warm welcome and reading
suggestions... will definitely check out Dr. Sears and the La Leche
League site (I visited it before, but didn't notice the reading list I
guess... will go back!). I do intend to breastfeed exclusively, and for
at least a year. And I'm writing down the other books folks have
suggested, will take that to the library next time I go. Thank you!!

I also want to rescind my request for more on the discipline/spanking
topic... apparently that thread was dead by the time my email made it to
the list anyway... and besides, it's not going to be an issue for me for
quite some time!

It's hard for me to keep up with the posts and make timely
suggestions... had one for the cats though... if yours have a history of
FUS (urinary trouble), esp. males, avoid fish ingredients in the food,
and/or feed Purina Special Care. All my cats are on it because one had a
near-fatal bout of FUS a few years ago.

Another thing I have to mention re: allergies and yeast infections...
especially when a yeast infection is the result of a course of
antibiotics, take acidophilus supplements and/or eat lots of yogurt with
live cultures after the course. It will restore the bacterial balance
and (hopefully) prevent the yeast, and you can avoid antifungal drugs.
I've successfully cured vaginal yeast with dilute yogurt douches, also a
combo of calendula (marigold) tea and vinegar water (using them
alternately, not together).

Take care!

Nicole

Tracy Oldfield

Nicole, welcome! the previous reading suggestions are great, I'd
second that most things to do with parenting are covered well and
supportively by LLL approved literature. I'd add a book I found
recently in our main library in town, The Birth of a Mother,
perhaps not one for reading while one's up to one's ears in nappies
and milk, but a good insight into the psychological processes of
becoming a mother. Bill and Martha Sears' books sometimes
have off-putting titles like 'The Discipline Book,' but they are the
modern 'god-parents,' almost, of what we now call attachment
parenting. Their 'Baby Book' would be top of my list to give to
pregnant friends if I wasn't sure they were intending to
breastfeed, it has a good chapter on bottlefeeding which, by the
time one has read it will make one want to breastfeed! On the
subject of discipline, I think it's never too early to start, and by that
I mean to take from the Latin roots of 'discipline,' which are to do
with leading. The best discipline, IMO, is respecting one's child,
and as LLL says, 'from infancy on, children need loving guidance
which reflects acceptance of their capabilities and sensitivity to
their feelings.' I need this tattoo-ing on the inside of my eyelids I
think!!

Best wishes for your birth, had a home-birth with no2, was great!
Tracy