Vicks Vaporub, Tiny Noses, and Tiny (or not so tiny) Toesies

     February is nearly over, and if you've made it through this winter without a cold, stay away from me. I am finishing up a cold right now. My symptoms began on Valentine's Day, and they ran the gamut of a low fever (99-100), sore throat, coughing, and nasal congestion. Right now, I'd be healthy if I could only lose this cough. Such are the effects of viral acute bronchitis (diagnosed myself with the help of WebMD. If I am still coughing on March 7th, I'll seek medical aid.

     Over the course of this cold, I took a generic version of Advil Cold and Sinus for the first time in what I calculated as years. Ibuprofen isn't recomended during pregnancy, and psudoephendrine runs the risk of reducing milk supply for nursing mothers. Although I'm still nursing, my Angel Pie is keenly into her toddler years, I felt that I could risk a lower milk supply for some relief. I took it for about two days, and at first it felt wonderful, but then I found that it was causing a dry, itchy spot in the back of my throat that was making me feel like coughing, so I stopped.

     I'm down to an occasional cough right now, but days ago, the cough was incessant, and I was pretty desperate to find something that would let me sleep through the night. Isn't waking up coughing the worst? Not only was I waking my husband, I was also waking my Angel Pie! So I took to combing the internet in the wee hours of the morning to find a fix. It is suggested that rubbing Vicks Vaporub on one's feet and covering with socks was a good remedy. It's all over the mom boards on various parenting sites.


     My first instinct was to fact-check, and indeed, there are a few sites addressing it.

Snopes.com
Geekosystem, "No, Rubbing Vicks Vaporub On Your Feet Does Not Prevent Coughing"
UrbanLegends.About.com, "Does Vicks VapoRub on Soles of Feet Relieve Coughing?"

Buuuut...anecdotal evidence here. I noticed that I don't cough as much when I'm fiddling on my phone. That got me to thinking maybe Vicks works as means of distraction? Closer to what the UrbanLegends.About.com article mentions, maybe it's a counter-stimulus? Laying in bed, thinking about the tickle in your throat, hoping, "Don't cough, don't cough" ? Of course you're going to cough! But maybe if your feet tingle, that distracts from the tickle, and you can use that to sleep. So, I thought I'd give it a go! I had a jar of Vicks Vaporub and some socks, and it was time to go to sleep. So, did it help? For me, unfortunately, a flat no. I didn't feel anything on my feet--no warmth, no tingle from the menthol, nothing. As there was no point of distraction for me, then, all I had to focus on was the throat tickle, and of course I coughed. Again, this anecdotal. Perhaps if someone had more sensitive foot skin than I have, it can help, but for me, it was a bust.

     I am concerned, however, about the moms prescribing this for their babies with coughs. I understand wanting to be able to do something--my Angel Pie is currently dealing with a nasal congestion, or as we call it, a terrible "boogie nose". I hate nasal congestion the most for my baby, and I think I've written about it before. If my Angel Pie can't breathe through her nose, she can't nurse, and that makes the one thing that brings her comfort when nothing else does, it makes it not work. And then she cries, which makes her nose run even more, and it becomes a vicious cycle of my baby just not feeling well. She is under two years old, though, and that means that Vicks Vaporub is not the answer. In this article from Parenting.com:

The ingredients in Vicks VapoRub can irritate the airways and increase mucus production. The effect isn't huge, says Dr. Rubin, but it can be significant in infants and young children (under 2) who have very small airways to begin with. And when those pipes are already inflamed from a cold or other infection, a little bit of extra inflammation and mucus may narrow them quickly and severely.

And I'm sure the last thing we want to do is make our little ones feel worse. I'd think that even if we're putting Vicks on a baby's feet, the baby is still inhaling and thereby getting the negative effects from those vapors. I'd personally recommend not trying it and sticking to a steamy bathroom and nasal aspirators. Hang in there--colds generally only last about ten days. My Angel Pie could possibly be on day eight of her cold, so maybe we're close to the end!

     Please note that this post contains product links using Amazon Associates. Should enough people click the links and make purchases, I would get paid. Amazon Associates pays once your clicks equal $10; in my entire history with the program, I currently have about $3, so I have never been paid yet, lol. The biggest reason I use Amazon Associates is so that I don't have to use my own personal server space for image hosting when I refer to products, and to ensure proper and unbroken links for archiving purposes.

What's harder than explaining extended nursing to your in-laws?

     Explaining twiddling along with it! My poor father-in-law is a good sport!


Cross-posted @ Moms.com

Happy New Year

     I really had a lovely Christmas, but the ball has dropped, and now, as I lay in bed and nurse my baby to sleep, it's 2014, and it's just winter. Are there any resolutions to declare? I'd like to guide my family toward a healthier lifestyle. I'd like to make sure we make happiness a priority. I'd like to reclaim and hone my career. Right now, though, I'm going to cuddle down and enjoy the warmth. Being present through stillness is not inactivity; it's the best kind of progress.

Ta da, fall is falling!

     Was summer really so short, so brief, that we're already talking about apple recipes and chilly weather? The district today is seeing high temperatures close to the 90 degree mark, so it really doesn't feel that way. And yet, the calendar reads September 10th today! I had a serious discussion with my husband about when fall actually starts, the equinox or September 1, and my argument for September 1 is that we consider the winter season December 1 (or after Thanksgiving, at least). If we only start celebrating winter, then we're mixing holiday snowmen with scarecrows and harvest, and it just doesn't work. So I must be firm, year after year, argument after argument, even if the weather, equinoxes, or solstices don't agree. If it's between September 1 and Thanksgiving, I'm calling it Fall. Autumn leaves, I invite you to change at your earliest convenience.

     I like to focus on apples in September. It's back to school, bring your teacher an apple, bake that first pie--that kind of feeling. Apples help us warm up to the more serious harvest vegetables like pumpkins. Although surprisingly, my local farmer's market Heyser Farms claim that they receive fresh corn into October--who would have thunk it? Heyser Farms featured some amazing peaches this past summer--almost as big as my head!--so I'm looking forward to visiting them for their apple offerings. We sadly missed the Rambo season--I'm not sure how, we were there and looking for them--so we'll have to make our first pie with later-season apples. With apples on the brain, I'd like to share a couple of really tasty-looking apple recipes from Better Homes and Gardens. I appreciate how excited they are about the changing seasons--they share my enthusiasm! I think the savory recipes look especially enticing. If someone tries them before me, please do share your review of your results!

Sweetie Recipes

Classic Apple Crisp

Granny Smith Cobbler with White Cheddar Biscuits

Savory Recipes

Apple Cider Chicken

Apple-Sausage Rigatoni

Apple-Buttered Sweet Potatoes

Early Summer!

     I don't have very much to say today, I don't think. I would just like to acknowledge that we've made it to June, and in my worldview, that makes it officially summer. The blog decor has been updated appropriately and in a timely manner. It's also officially strawberry season, although I have not made it to my favorite local farmer's market yet (Heyser Farms) to pick up some of the local produce. What is the best way to eat fresh strawberries? Raw, plucked one by one and popped into one's mouth? Maybe. I really hate sugaring fresh local strawberries for shortcake, because I feel like the strawberries should be allowed to stand on their own in their perfect prime. A few years ago, I dipped them in full-fats ricotta, which was decedent and wonderful, but largely defeated the purpose of such a nutrient-dense food. Just seconds ago, I ordered this:


I have been wanting one for possibly literal years, but they seemed too frivolous to actually pick up at my local Wegmans. Today, with the hopes of enjoying freshly-hulled strawberries, I am throwing away my worries of frivolity. I will grab bowls and hull strawberries in the living room with my Angel-Pie, and we will enjoy the early summer days.

     Please note that this post contains product links using Amazon Associates. Should enough people click the links and make purchases, I would get paid. Amazon Associates pays once your clicks equal $10; in my entire history with the program, I currently have about $3, so I have never been paid yet, lol. The biggest reason I use Amazon Associates is so that I don't have to use my own personal server space for image hosting when I refer to products, and to ensure proper and unbroken links for archiving purposes.

Um, guys? Give Kim a break!

    I don't generally go out of my way to follow Ms. Kardashian, but I feel compelled to stand up for her, because this picture is earning her a lot of flack. My feet did the same thing when I was pregnant. At first, it shows up in your strappy sandals, but for me, it eventually happened with my flats and sneakers! All thanks to late-blooming pregnancy-related high blood pressure, which eventually resulted in the risk of preeclampsia, which then resulted in me being induced into having my baby by c-section a week early. But seriously--it's uncontrollable, and now that I'm not pregnant, my blood pressure is normal and my feet don't swell. I don't miss it, but the experience makes me and Ms. Kardashian have something in common (can I enjoy how unexpected that statement is?), and I don't feel that insults in the comments are deserved. Do you know how common swollen feet are in pregnancy? Hella common. And pregnant ladies want to wear shoes too! How shoes on feet look in the morning versus later that day when you take them off is two different things when pregnant, so it's very easy to think, "Sure, these will work!" and then later think, "Ouch, bad idea!"


Kim Kardashian's Pregnancy Symptoms Include Swollen Feet
    So srsly, guys. Chill out.

Fav Apps: Water Your Body

     I have a smart phone, and I use it to its smarty-pants capacity. If I can track something, I generally do, and there are so many clever programmers out there who improve the way we use our time and technology, largely for free. And so, I'm starting a blogging series about my favorite smarty phone applications. I use a Samsung Galaxy II on Boost Mobile, and I feel that gives me a nice mix of ability and affordability. I mention this to note that I use Android, and therefore, all of my recommended applications are Android.

Check out "Water Your Body"
     So yes, I use an application to remind myself to drink water. Why? Because:

1. water is important for the human body to function;
   
2. water intake markedly improves milk production for breastfeeding mothers; and
   
3. without a reminder, I honestly don't drink enough.

     This application gives notification reminders at timed intervals to remind the user to drink, and this interval is based upon the last tracked intake of water. It also keeps a number on your intake. If you drank sixteen ounces of water, track it, and at the end of the day, you can see the sum total. You can also set water goals based upon your weight and level of activity. I find it all very easy to use after the initial setup, and my lactation has been healthily aided by the application's reminders.

     If you know you need more water, for any reason, try this application!

Torrid: Nailing Springwear for All Ages

     I really couldn't help myself after receiving an email from Torrid about their spring releases. Torrid has really come along in the past few years from making very immature and cheap garments to making a collection of cute and stylish pieces for plus-sized women of all ages. Competitors like Lane Bryant can't match their designs, and Torrid's quality has become really noteworthy. This makes me grumpy, as I have $90 in a combination of gift cards and reward certificates to use at Lane Bryant, and I'm not even enjoying their basic pieces this season. Here are a few of Torrid's spring pieces that I really would love to own.
Blue Floral Dolman Top, $38.50


Floral Chiffon Racerback Tank Top, $38.50


Lilac Chiffon & Lace Twofer Top, $42.80


Pink Lurex Stripe Button-Up Top, $38.50


Ivory Floral Chiffon Tank Dress, $64.50

     I am always on the lookout for breezy and office-friendly tops, and these four shirts really fit the bill. The dress is just a charming wishlist of a piece. I enjoy pastel palettes for spring, but that first top in the dark blue is a knockout for combining the dark color in a sheer and unexpected element. I think anyone would look equally youthful but appropriate in these pieces, and I appreciate Torrid being the vendor to take the step toward honestly fashionable plus-size wear for the masses.

Haiku: Eventually

Every day I look
for grays. I am ready at
last to look my age.

Real-life narrative of a working first-time mom.

     My in-laws are coming to visit today. I really like my husband's family--they are very kind, generous, and supportive.

     I spent the weekend at home with my baby. As I work full time and breastfeed, my daughter makes up for lost time when we are together by napping less and nursing longer. This is very common for breastfed babies. Nursing is comforting and relaxing, and baby misses that throughout the workday. As my daughter pretty much sleeps through the night regularly, our  mornings, evenings, and weekends are spent together. I hold her, play with her, feed her, and generally go crazy enjoying our time.

     I am generally an organized and fastidious person. I like to put things away immediately, and I like everything to have an "away place." I dirty a dish, and right into the dishwasher it goes. I like folding laundry right out of the dryer. My husband thinks I waste time doing things out of order, but I feel I save time by not putting things off until later, when I may not have the time.

     We had Christmas dinner at my house. My husband's extended family came and stayed through Christmas Day. The weekend before New Years until New Years Day, we went to Pittsburgh to visit my family. I caught a cold in Pittsburgh and was sick when I got back home. It's been two weekends since then. Both were spent essentially restocking our home by taking shopping trips, and working for my husband.

     All of these things meet at this point. My house is still a wreck from Christmas. I am not able to clean it because I spend all time at home caring for my baby. My husband must use all extra time to work. We don't have down time. And now, my in-laws have spent the day in my filthy house. After a day of working at my job, I'm heading home feeling like a failure. I can't do it all, and it is driving me crazy. I haven't had the time to clean. I haven't had the time to do laundry. I barely have time to use the restroom. I'm not complaining, but I do have to vent how much of a rotten failure I feel like inside. I don't regret the time spent with my baby. I just wish I could survive on less sleep.