The Heat
misty · Mon, Sep 21, 2015It was hot, hot, hot today!! Now, it almost certainly wasn’t “Texas” heat that we had today, but still. Anything above 80 in this city is nearly unbearable, especially for those who rely on public transportation and don’t have air conditioning. We have to rely on open windows to cool the apartment, the drawbacks of which are that a) if there’s no wind, we’re screwed, and b) opening windows means also letting the sun (and its heat) in. So it was a bit uncomfortable all day in the apartment, to say the least.
I went to the breastfeeding circle today, and man was it helpful! Notes from class:
- There were a few other babies, and Milo was the biggest of them all, though not the oldest. I’m raising a giant.
- I heard other babies make the same kinds of noises that Milo makes - the coughing before crying, noises as they feed, etc. It was really comforting.
- Most of the other moms have the same experiences that I have with breastfeeding - painful nipples (early on; they’re good now); feeling like there’s not enough milk.
- I found out that Milo’s fussiness in the evenings is typical. I also found out that her writhing during the wee morning hours is due to gas and is also typical (the other moms have noticed the same from their kiddos).
- I found out that the reason Milo won’t take the bottle is because I have high lipase in my milk, which makes frozen and thawed milk taste like soap. (Note: we gave her fresh milk in a bottle tonight and she accepted it easily.) Now we just have to try scalding my milk to see if it takes away the soapy taste.
It was really comforting to be around other moms, especially those moms who have concerns about breastfeeding. I felt good that my issues were minor and easily explained.
On the way home, I sweated like crazy on the bus and had to take Milo out of her wrap. We were both drenched. I fed her, and I had some nice conversations with the people sitting next to me, none of whom had a problem with my breastfeeding in public. I love California!