I'll admit it, even though the traditional woman inside me wants to deny it, most of the week was used to get the house ready for our 4 guests. The place hasn't looked this good in a while. The only thing dragging it down from it's perfect state would be 2 loads of laundry and the chaos in the basement.
We did the best we could to childproof the house without buying anything. Despite this effort, within 15 minutes of arriving one of the twins bumped their head on one of the side tables in the living room. A little blood, a few tears, 6 bandages (through out the day), and 1 safety sucker and all is fine. I think everyone feels bad and at fault for the incident.
We corralled them in the upstairs loft. I didn't realize how much work almost 18 month old twins could be. When left to wander, they would inevitable wander in complete opposite directions! I don't know how one person could keep track of each of them. It makes me wonder what exactly Octomom is going to do in 2 years?
We were worn out, but it was an enlightening experience. We're going to invest in a few lever door locks (our door handles are levers and not knobs, which are easy for little fingers and paws to manipulate). We also need to find a gate to surround our TV. I know a lot of this isn't too important until a child becomes mobile. I also know it won't be as overwhelming when it's my 2 year old.
Despite being a bit overwhelmed and not knowing how to help, it was good to get a visit from friends. I'm glad they were able to take the time off work and spend the weekend with us. Hopefully we can visit with them sometime this summer when the weather's nicer and we can all get outside.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Allergies, Medicine, and Pregnancy
Yesterday I had a check up with my allergist. I started seeing him roughly 9 months ago and had my 6 month follow up yesterday. I have an allergy to various tree pollens, a few weed pollens, and a strong allergy to dust mites. That means I treat my allergies all year round, but notice it gets worse in early spring and late summer.
It is mostly allergic rhinitis, which means when it gets bad I can't breathe through my nose which can lead to sinus infections.Luckily I do not have asthma which isn't uncommon with allergies. A lot of times it is the allergen that will set off an asthma attack.
Antihistamine tablets do not seem to do much for me, and ones with decongestants make me jittery. Allegra-D works great for me, but it turns me into a zombie. So after trying a few medications, we found a routine that works for me. Nasonex, a steroid spray to reduce inflammation, in the morning, and Astelin, an antihistamine spray, before bed. I have been doing this for 6 months now and it's working out pretty good. I really feel it if I forget to take either one. This year I had no colds, no sinus infections, no bronchitis!
I asked my Dr. a very important question yesterday. How does this medication affect fetal development and is it okay to use during pregnancy. The next part is a bit confusing and left to interpretation. Both drugs are Class C drugs, meaning that they have not been tested to determine if they cause birth defects or not, but they are also not known to contain ingredients that do cause complications.
They also said that since the medication is a spray and has a less concentration entering the bloodstream, that it was probably okay. If it was a pill, they definitely would change me to Claritin (not Claritin-D) because it is considered a class B drug. Class B drugs do not have a connection to birth defects in animal studies. They also said that the most important time is the first trimester and if I am feeling uncomfortable taking the medication while pregnant, that I could start it back up after the second trimester without any problems.
Ultimately they said it was a decision that my OB and I would have to determine. After doing some research on the drugs and pregnancy, I have decided that once we decide to try and conceive, I will stop taking my allergy medication. I'm under the group that feels that no medication is safe unless it increases the health risk of the mother. Since I do not have asthma, the allergy treatment is a matter of quality of life. I can put up with the allergies for a while. If my doctor and I determine later that stopping the medication puts me at risk for infection then we can revisit it at that time.
The most important thing, if you're on any medication or any supplements, be sure to talk to your doctor before planning to become pregnant. Some medications require weaning or take a few weeks or months to clear out of the system. Your doctor will be best able to provide the information you need and whether you're at a greater health risk by ending treatment.
It is mostly allergic rhinitis, which means when it gets bad I can't breathe through my nose which can lead to sinus infections.Luckily I do not have asthma which isn't uncommon with allergies. A lot of times it is the allergen that will set off an asthma attack.
Antihistamine tablets do not seem to do much for me, and ones with decongestants make me jittery. Allegra-D works great for me, but it turns me into a zombie. So after trying a few medications, we found a routine that works for me. Nasonex, a steroid spray to reduce inflammation, in the morning, and Astelin, an antihistamine spray, before bed. I have been doing this for 6 months now and it's working out pretty good. I really feel it if I forget to take either one. This year I had no colds, no sinus infections, no bronchitis!I asked my Dr. a very important question yesterday. How does this medication affect fetal development and is it okay to use during pregnancy. The next part is a bit confusing and left to interpretation. Both drugs are Class C drugs, meaning that they have not been tested to determine if they cause birth defects or not, but they are also not known to contain ingredients that do cause complications.
They also said that since the medication is a spray and has a less concentration entering the bloodstream, that it was probably okay. If it was a pill, they definitely would change me to Claritin (not Claritin-D) because it is considered a class B drug. Class B drugs do not have a connection to birth defects in animal studies. They also said that the most important time is the first trimester and if I am feeling uncomfortable taking the medication while pregnant, that I could start it back up after the second trimester without any problems.
Ultimately they said it was a decision that my OB and I would have to determine. After doing some research on the drugs and pregnancy, I have decided that once we decide to try and conceive, I will stop taking my allergy medication. I'm under the group that feels that no medication is safe unless it increases the health risk of the mother. Since I do not have asthma, the allergy treatment is a matter of quality of life. I can put up with the allergies for a while. If my doctor and I determine later that stopping the medication puts me at risk for infection then we can revisit it at that time.
The most important thing, if you're on any medication or any supplements, be sure to talk to your doctor before planning to become pregnant. Some medications require weaning or take a few weeks or months to clear out of the system. Your doctor will be best able to provide the information you need and whether you're at a greater health risk by ending treatment.
Monday, March 23, 2009
To Be, or Not To Be........Organic
I've been seeing a lot of organic items for babies lately, and wondering if it's really worth it. What stands out to me is the 3-4X mark up. Is Organic really that beneficial in materials or is just a passing fad?
I have seen a brand of onsies (one piece suits) that sold both types. The organic one was $10 each and the non-organic one was closer to 5 for $10 (or $2 each). Baby's skin is thinner and more sensitive than ours and the chemicals can irritate baby's skin. However, does washing no rid the material of these chemicals?
I have seen a brand of onsies (one piece suits) that sold both types. The organic one was $10 each and the non-organic one was closer to 5 for $10 (or $2 each). Baby's skin is thinner and more sensitive than ours and the chemicals can irritate baby's skin. However, does washing no rid the material of these chemicals?
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