Monday, January 9, 2012
Food sensitivities check up
We met with Allie's doctor recently. The good news is she's doing well--up to 12 pounds 10 ounces. The disappointing news is we will not be reintroducing milk or soy any time soon--not until she's at least a year old. I feel somewhat misled. It's ok, though, I had already committed myself to the fact that I would probably be on this diet until she was weaned. I am just annoyed that the doctor repeatedly said "a few months" when he really meant a year or more.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Transitions
I go back to work the day after tomorrow. I can't say I'm looking forward to it. The past few months have been like a dream. It was special time between my baby and me. Still, there are several things I've done to make the transition easier. A couple weeks ago, I compiled some paperwork and office planning materials that I will share with staff upon my return. Last week, I ironed all of my work shirts. Today, I stopped by the office and dropped off some lunches, paperwork, breast pump parts, and pictures of my baby. I also tested out my pump to see if it can be heard through my office door and added some fans to cover the noise (I've tried using a manual pump, but it just isn't for me). Tonight and tomorrow, I'll set up the recurring office meetings and prepare an email to send to staff at 8 a.m. on Tuesday. I'm glad I'm doing this in spurts over a longer period of time. It's helping me get into the career-oriented mindset slowly, without feeling overwhelmed. We'll see how things go. At least I know Allie will have a great time with her daddy!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Dining Out
Before Allie, we used to dine out all the time. As in, nearly every meal. That lifestyle is very difficult with a newborn, and nearly impossible given the dietary restrictions. Still, I have been fortunate enough to find some very knowledgeable food service professionals in the area.
Food sensitivities are tricky and different for each individual, but Noodles, Flattop, Meatheads, and Chipotle have all been great for me. All of these websites clearly label their foods according to the specific allergens, and they have more detailed information available in the restaurant if you have questions. The manager at Meatheads and I actually talked for several minutes about food allergies! His son has a peanut allergy, and when I placed my order, he guessed my situation right away (that it was a food intolerance issue for the baby). It's nice to find people who understand!
Surprisingly, I have found fine dining restaurants to (generally) be less knowledgeable. However, they usually tend to be safe for me, as long as I keep the order simple. Typically, I'll order fish or chicken, and tell the server "I am allergic to all dairy and soy. Please hold the sauce, and cook it without butter." I've found it's just easier to say I have an "allergy" than to go into the whole spiel. If the restaurant trains their staff well, they usually have an allergy declaration sheet, and the server will look up my order on the sheet to make sure it doesn't contain dairy or soy. However, I've found that I need to be specific, and can't ever make assumptions. Most people forget that you have to consider not only the ingredients in a particular food, but also what that food is cooked in. For example, according to Flattop's corporate menu, the roti prata bread is safe for people avoiding dairy. However, they don't bother to mention the fact that it is cooked in butter! I hope I have become good at explaining my dietary restrictions without being pushy or annoying.
Food sensitivities are tricky and different for each individual, but Noodles, Flattop, Meatheads, and Chipotle have all been great for me. All of these websites clearly label their foods according to the specific allergens, and they have more detailed information available in the restaurant if you have questions. The manager at Meatheads and I actually talked for several minutes about food allergies! His son has a peanut allergy, and when I placed my order, he guessed my situation right away (that it was a food intolerance issue for the baby). It's nice to find people who understand!
Surprisingly, I have found fine dining restaurants to (generally) be less knowledgeable. However, they usually tend to be safe for me, as long as I keep the order simple. Typically, I'll order fish or chicken, and tell the server "I am allergic to all dairy and soy. Please hold the sauce, and cook it without butter." I've found it's just easier to say I have an "allergy" than to go into the whole spiel. If the restaurant trains their staff well, they usually have an allergy declaration sheet, and the server will look up my order on the sheet to make sure it doesn't contain dairy or soy. However, I've found that I need to be specific, and can't ever make assumptions. Most people forget that you have to consider not only the ingredients in a particular food, but also what that food is cooked in. For example, according to Flattop's corporate menu, the roti prata bread is safe for people avoiding dairy. However, they don't bother to mention the fact that it is cooked in butter! I hope I have become good at explaining my dietary restrictions without being pushy or annoying.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Two-Month Checkup
Allie's two-month checkup was today. She is doing great! Here's a look at her growth:
Birth: 7 pounds, 5 ounces, 19 inches,
5 days after birth:6 pounds, 9 ounces, 19.75 inches, 13.25" head circumference
Two week check up: 8 pounds, 2 ounces, 20 inches, 14.25" head circumference
Appointment at 7 weeks: 10 pounds, 11 ounces
Appointment at 8 weeks: 11 pounds
Two-month checkup: 11 pounds 9 ounces, 22 inches, 15.25" head circumference
She got her first round of vaccinations today. That's her with her battle scars. What a champ! She had an interesting reaction to the shots. For the first few hours after she left the doctor's office, she was wired. Very awake, curious, and really wanting to play. We knew we were in trouble because we could not get her to sleep. Then, without warning, she starting screaming. Loud, wailing cries. Her whole face turned red. She screamed for an hour. Then, as quickly as she had starting screaming, she fell asleep. And she slept for the rest of the night. We'll see how tomorrow goes....
Birth: 7 pounds, 5 ounces, 19 inches,
5 days after birth:6 pounds, 9 ounces, 19.75 inches, 13.25" head circumference
Two week check up: 8 pounds, 2 ounces, 20 inches, 14.25" head circumference
Appointment at 7 weeks: 10 pounds, 11 ounces
Appointment at 8 weeks: 11 pounds
Two-month checkup: 11 pounds 9 ounces, 22 inches, 15.25" head circumference
She got her first round of vaccinations today. That's her with her battle scars. What a champ! She had an interesting reaction to the shots. For the first few hours after she left the doctor's office, she was wired. Very awake, curious, and really wanting to play. We knew we were in trouble because we could not get her to sleep. Then, without warning, she starting screaming. Loud, wailing cries. Her whole face turned red. She screamed for an hour. Then, as quickly as she had starting screaming, she fell asleep. And she slept for the rest of the night. We'll see how tomorrow goes....
Catching up
Whew! What a whirlwind few months this has been! Motherhood is amazing beyond words. If I had known I could be this happy, I would have tried to have a baby years ago. I am so glad we waited though because this really is the perfect time physically, emotionally, financially and from every other standpoint.
A few highlights from the past few months.... I swam 30 laps a day until the 38th week. After that I started to really feel pregnant. Allison Nicole was born at 40.5 weeks after 31+ hours of labor. She was a healthy 7 pounds, 5 ounces, 19 inches tall, and had a 14.25" head circumference. She is a sweet, happy baby, and eats well. She surpassed her birth weight after two weeks (doctors normally just expect that she will be back to her birth weight at that point). When she was around a month old, she was diagnosed with Milk Soy Protein Intolerance. Since then, I have used my very generous maternity leave to research this condition and learn how to modify my diet to continue to breastfeed without upsetting her sensitive system. So, this blog will most likely address our adventures on this subject.
A few highlights from the past few months.... I swam 30 laps a day until the 38th week. After that I started to really feel pregnant. Allison Nicole was born at 40.5 weeks after 31+ hours of labor. She was a healthy 7 pounds, 5 ounces, 19 inches tall, and had a 14.25" head circumference. She is a sweet, happy baby, and eats well. She surpassed her birth weight after two weeks (doctors normally just expect that she will be back to her birth weight at that point). When she was around a month old, she was diagnosed with Milk Soy Protein Intolerance. Since then, I have used my very generous maternity leave to research this condition and learn how to modify my diet to continue to breastfeed without upsetting her sensitive system. So, this blog will most likely address our adventures on this subject.
 |
| Her first swaddle |
 |
| She loves bathtime! |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)