tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14270785515353837322024-03-19T08:03:12.802-05:00Resident MommyMoniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10393322393137636968noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-89895772980466499322010-07-07T13:40:00.003-05:002010-07-07T14:36:51.537-05:00My Final Answer<p>I know it may not look like much is going on here in this blog, but I continue to get e-mails from people asking the same question:</p><p><strong>As a doctor, when's the best time to have baby? <a href="http://www.brainchildmag.com/essays/fall2009_barrioscagle.asp">Before</a> or during medical school? How about during residency or as an attending physician? Which specialty should I go into based on my desire to have kids?</strong></p><p>I think I have my final answer, really, the end all be all answer. It's beyong cliché. . . but here goes: <strong>Accept your callings in life.</strong></p>If you're a family wo/man, have a family. If you always saw yourself with six kids, think about how much time that would take and subtract it from the latest you'd like to be pregnant and go to it. Something will work out, it alway does. Yes, it will be unbelievably hard, but chances are if you signed up to become a doctor you're a glutton for punishment anyway.<br /><br />This blog has been brutally honest (as I've been told) about the challenges of becoming a physician while trying to start/raise a family. So long as you go into this process with your eyes wide open, good coping skills, and at least one supportive buddy everything will turn out fine.<br /><br />Deal with the fact that you'll miss 'firsts.' -You should have known that when you sent in your medical school application. Since none of us remember if mommy and daddy were there when we began walking, just remember that you're more likely to suffer emotional damage than Junior when it comes to absenteeism in the first years.<br /><br />What children need, says me, are parents who give them their best selves in their formative years (generally accepted as age 3 and beyond). This doesn't necessarily mean, but doesn't exclude, staying at home with them. If you were called to be a homemaker, do it. If you were created to be a doctor, do it. It really doesn't matter what occupation you find yourself in so long as you set a good example of using your talents and giving examples of service. Consider the opposite: A mother who resents her children because they kept her from her career aspirations, or the work-horse who returns home too burnt-out and bitter to enjoy her kids.<br /><br />The trick here is to choose a specialty (or profession for everyone else) that will build you up to be a better person. -This is where the caveat to my final answer comes. If God blessed you with the skills of a surgeon, but the lifestyle would make you and everyone else miserable, <em>don't</em> do it. Pick the next thing on your list of favorites. Trust me.<br /><br />Finally, doctoring isn't always the thorn in the side of parenthood. The one perk to being a resident mommy is that when I have to say goodbye to my son, I can always tell him that I must go help others who are less fortunate. I was on-call last night and missing my little guy terribly when I was summoned to see a six-year old boy who was complaining of pain at his gastric-tube site. On the way to his room I saw several children with broken skulls and displaced eyes. You better believe when I came home I held onto his perfect little body longer and with more appreciation than I would have otherwise.<br /><br /><strong>Coming eventually:</strong><br /><ul><li>Patriotism and Decluttering - A match made in heaven.</li><li>Living life pre- and post-call</li><li>Are women the cause for the healthcare crisis?</li><li>The "I can't seem to lose this stomach so I'll just have another baby" option.</li></ul>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-32526911896233917802010-07-05T20:34:00.005-05:002015-01-29T22:13:56.180-06:00Suits & Résumé<a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3083776/0~2376776~2374327~2374330?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=2374330&P=1"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjhhAog6zbdhGTrqTvrRVOHFXEP0mpDFPCk6Q9r-15I-8yo1S_kLtIavcW7qsDC0mCvSnibSgNiU6wQFh8Kpno3KpYwXRXjxWMVyggfIjFkGXNotSQHwzZjGwNDCphGWmCWcGAMwsstE/s400/Nordstrom_6077731.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490602086418789186" style="cursor: hand; height: 400px; width: 261px;" /></a><br />
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<strong>I totally passed my licensing exams, all three of them.</strong> </div>
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Now it's time to suit it up, get my résumé out there and control my destiny. First, I need to update my wardrobe. Do you like any of these?<br />
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<a href="http://bananarepublic.gap.com/"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2mtSjGVcLgee8HEeLEy_0r9D4MZ8Wi-umeWINsQg0kZDwLIjZ-QNdpKI-AXgG9od6He_72ySt_11nPebnjRm6gLs5fpSrznhEgPc8zNSCVSmTBKxa6M885WSYVjMk8mkRVe9NInvG74/s400/br-otf-out19119odv01.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490602092031918338" style="cursor: hand; height: 375px; width: 280px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3076833/0~2376776~2374327~2374330?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=2374330&P=1"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHquIGAzcf7y9w5yaDPAN0jbgjDkhYWXVlflqFHd2zcszuloKJg-5FgCs27AP7ucdzk_edKFspsLHdJ9Nzs5ljAlcwn-td50f_flOijIqBUZGf0m3jMYVDuzZtwe1im9SCSH2qX8AOPnA/s400/Nordstrom_6070921.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490602075870333970" style="cursor: hand; height: 400px; width: 261px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www1.macys.com/catalog/index.ognc?CategoryID=39096&PageID=167918764876566&kw=Suits%20%26%20Suit%20Separates"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWU0fWlz8C8ttNQeI3ahxbkvUZfQLtVHsiwYDBEMC-irFtYoMRfyWx7GN5ydch4al-kGCzhyboG8fa4pFpLfQFRDg5Lmjy6AE5nH-cJwbB7o1UL8c-mg4k95DGXMlfmpfDu9N1BLGlJxY/s400/MacySuit.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490602091039801282" style="cursor: hand; height: 400px; width: 254px;" /></a><br />
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This may seem like a silly question, but have you ever worn a suit before? If so, doesn't it make you feel more powerful and dynamic? I really dig 'em. (Click on the pictures so see where they came from.)</div>
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Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-66218815903366138042010-06-29T19:22:00.005-05:002010-06-29T21:09:33.056-05:00Unclutter My Life, Please<a href="http://unclutterer.com/category/home-organization/"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 311px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488356023795208450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkf1b0qNuQTqZzpmiPNNz5ZHz7AZ7bmpzXxWuipz1GnX4vsqLeXb1IPklIGDlQE_H2YGSd4f27tWmka9lKxM1L_ea2DLFr88IGhsVrwCvPFIUUPTZ3-sLguYdn1kD3DjkyoCJTMVMQXPo/s400/unclutterer.jpg" /></a><br /><div><strong>Courtesy of Peter Walsh for Unclutterer. <p></p></strong></div><div></div><div>The past seven years of my life have been spent studying, working, studying, working and recently trying to raise a baby. It is safe to say that in this mix my domestic life suffered. Oh, don't worry about the marriage part, I have the most loving and patient husband ever. I'm talking about cooking, cleaning and just plain having a routine. <p></p></div><div></div><div>You'd think that after nearly 7 years of being married, we'd have some semblance of a routine. But it seems like everytime we've got something under control, things change on us. Take for instance my schedule. Every 1-2 months my job duties and hours change. -THAT is the life of a resident. To make matters even more complicated, a growing boy adds extra variety. One day you can leave him in the bouncy chair while you make lunch, the next he's flipped it over and is trying to crawl. <p></p></div><div></div><div>I realized we needed a set routine the other day when I was running up and down the stairs in only a towel while trying to find baby's shoes & food, and my white coat, and Daddy's phone. I forgot to mention the shades were drawn and we have HUGE front windows, so this must have made for an entertaining show. <p></p></div><div></div><div>In the next week I hope to come up with some <a href="http://unclutterer.com/">organizational tips</a> that will streamline my life, if at all possible. And as I always say, if it works for Resident Mommy, it will probably work for you, too.</div>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-80831743414840107932010-06-20T12:06:00.006-05:002010-06-20T12:33:18.193-05:00I'm BAAAAAACK!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3vgwD-84bbfck1wDC8aKrBrQTaG4ipcaOPDNhmwWS2DZC2tMdJsvjDNLlIAzjBs3QF60OcfLRM5yY3NsoPenpQZHE1BL60tyJrbbPU1OEcQdVPLWgrKJJSWYNi_eR4pJnze5VZ4rk0Md/s1600/IMG_0720b.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 327px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484903528607523122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3vgwD-84bbfck1wDC8aKrBrQTaG4ipcaOPDNhmwWS2DZC2tMdJsvjDNLlIAzjBs3QF60OcfLRM5yY3NsoPenpQZHE1BL60tyJrbbPU1OEcQdVPLWgrKJJSWYNi_eR4pJnze5VZ4rk0Md/s400/IMG_0720b.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>A monumental time.</strong><br /><br />I have a year's worth of experience being a mother! Can you believe it? One of the quickest lessons I learned was that you can't juggle it all. Hence the HUGE gap in posts.<br /><br />During my absence from the blog world I took my 16 HOUR board licensing exam and faced several other trials that I can't even get into here. I have lamented my choice to be a resident and mother at the same time, but I wouldn't trade my son for anything. As I spent many long days at the hospital, lost countless hours of sleep, and missed meal after meal I questioned my career choice, too. Then something happened yesterday. . .<br /><br /><strong>My adult cousin choked on her food at the birthday party.</strong><br /><br />I was sitting at another table enjoying my meal and having fun mommy-to-mommy discussion when I heard: "HELP HER!!!" I turned around to see my family swarming around my cousin who was in obvious distress. Here is what happened next, in step-wise fashion:<br /><ol><li>I think "Is this really happening? People over-react all the time!"</li><li>I approached my cousin quickly to judge for myself.</li><li>I can hear my name being yelled to do something, anything.</li><li>Iasked my cousin if she can say something, anything.</li><li>She puts her hands around her throat and shakes her head desperately.</li><li>I think "Ohhhhh man, this is REAL."</li><li>"Call 911!" I tell them.</li><li>No one moves, everyone (30+) is staring at me. </li><li>My cousin is turning blue and remains silent.</li><li>I think "She's going to die. I'm not in a hospital. I can't page anesthesia."</li><li>I tell myself "All you can do is what you've been trained to do."</li><li>People keep staring at me.</li><li>I think of all the children around and tell God it would be cruel if tragedy were to strike here, in front of them, and on my little boy's birthday. </li><li>I perform the Heimlich maneuver three times.</li><li>My cousins gasps for air and begins to speak.</li><li>I make sure she's OK.</li><li>I sit back down and my uncle says "That med school tuition was worth it!"</li></ol>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10393322393137636968noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-17115307496183602802010-05-02T21:52:00.000-05:002010-05-02T21:53:12.223-05:00I Am Not DeadBut this blog is close to expiration, no?<br /><br />I will resurrect it when I'm done studying for Boards (June 8th), thanks for your patience. . . and prayers!Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-77887489968298757672010-03-01T20:06:00.006-06:002010-03-01T20:24:40.162-06:00This is What I do When I'm Stressed<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRj38vFzlMKsQWn8LVPxRxGOEwM2vA2fJMgpm7uTWNlwij_fqID7onzNUAbSfGJuPimsDk5AmonOwLVIISwaHpxYNSneMK8Jz48DoyohJhq_gVRrf4xvsWzFfGealBc-an1g5ndeXosw/s1600-h/Bookshelves1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 303px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443852386008450242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRj38vFzlMKsQWn8LVPxRxGOEwM2vA2fJMgpm7uTWNlwij_fqID7onzNUAbSfGJuPimsDk5AmonOwLVIISwaHpxYNSneMK8Jz48DoyohJhq_gVRrf4xvsWzFfGealBc-an1g5ndeXosw/s400/Bookshelves1.jpg" /></a><br /><div><strong>OCD much? <p></p></strong></div><div></div><div>I painted the backdrop of those shelves black and organized my books by color. I think it's better than doing drugs, and such. </div><div></div><div>Full view of the fireplace/bookshelves can be found <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11qyTOvOofF3C7_zVvz-7tc-36XX0LOaVE3iyyv6VpWuMWf10fzRaqNw6FGu5XdPnz9ttefe41bDNtxzoejLA4iUPLRoC2TlV2LFsWrOM9mviAaJ1bffReWUT5zZvyznNF9mATgc9fr8/s1600-h/Bookshelves2.jpg">here</a>. If you're curious to know what that white pile is in the hearth, it's my white coat from intern year that I plan to burn very soon. </div>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-91274580196964527292010-02-19T12:37:00.005-06:002010-06-29T19:50:01.272-05:00Had Enough?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpv9aCZlTFcTY4sL1jTMipnRfWSyn6boOCCks5zNn7fBvDjmeyMZFN3soDijhu4cVrrUXoY84igE3ICXSCq2EbSuwnkEkEfLgSb2KY-T4EEoU-Jc33bLzGnfyZnf44jSjWbWZpfb4auA/s1600/MaptoFellowship.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 348px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488362513234203570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpv9aCZlTFcTY4sL1jTMipnRfWSyn6boOCCks5zNn7fBvDjmeyMZFN3soDijhu4cVrrUXoY84igE3ICXSCq2EbSuwnkEkEfLgSb2KY-T4EEoU-Jc33bLzGnfyZnf44jSjWbWZpfb4auA/s400/MaptoFellowship.JPG" /></a><br /><strong>I was having this conversation with a friend:</strong><br /><br /><strong>Friend</strong>: I'm coming out and telling people now that I'm going to do a fellowship.<br /><br />[A fellowship is at <em>least</em> one more year of training AFTER residency. For those of you keeping count, that's about 25yrs of education.]<br /><br /><strong>Me</strong>: Oh, good for you if that's what you want to do.<br /><br /><strong>Friend</strong>: How about you?<br /><br /><strong>Me</strong>: I feel like I have to choose between doing fellowship and having another child. These eggs aren't getting any younger.<br /><br /><strong>Friend</strong>: Yeah, you're right. That's the reality of the situation. If you're going to do fellowship, that's gotta be your main focus for that year or two.<br /><br /><strong>Me</strong>: Didn't you want to have another one?<br /><br /><strong>Friend</strong>: Yes, I'm going to try and crank one out while I'm still in residency.<br /><br /><strong>Me</strong>: Good luck with that, too.<br /><br /><br />Does it bother anyone how unnatural this child planning business is for female doctors? What about this idea of being 'in school' forever?Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-34501335405083158572010-02-07T16:48:00.006-06:002010-02-19T12:35:02.294-06:00My YouTube Picks<a href="http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/080808/sesame-street/feist_l.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/080808/sesame-street/feist_l.jpg" /></a><br /><div><strong>Meet my babysitters.</p></strong></div><div></div><div>I am guilty of sticking my son in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-J2460-Deluxe-Jumperoo/dp/B000BXC1AI">this</a>, placing a laptop in front of him and playing the following videos so that I have time for myself. Enjoy!<br /><ul><li>Sesame Street with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ9WiuJPnNA">Feist singing 1-2-3-4</a></li><br /><li>Sesame Street with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEzxchU4RUY">Nora Jones singing "Don't Know 'Y'"</a></li><br /><li>Mister Roger's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcQQjtL_zFY&feature=related">'Good Feeling.'</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0">The wedding aisle dance</a> (my boy loves this for some reason)</li><br /><li>Fantasia's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGZeT07rqlU">Pines of Rome</a> & the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oqasTguizM">third part live</a> by Von Karajan.</li><br /><li>And for more classical tunes, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcd3XuQwDQQ">Barry White's My First, My Last, My Everything</a>.</li></ul></div>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-67664686415159377182010-02-02T16:37:00.004-06:002010-02-02T16:52:53.069-06:00Am I The Targeted Audience?<a href="http://www.always.com/images/callouts/Callout-Bars-top_image-8.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 180px; HEIGHT: 176px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.always.com/images/callouts/Callout-Bars-top_image-8.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.always.com/lifestyle/">Always</a> so cool.<br /><br />There I was lying on my sofa feeling drained of all life and energy when a maxi-pad commercial comes on showing this beautiful woman jogging, presumably while she's menstruating. The next scene is of her showing up for rounds as a medical resident, after which she goes out for a night on the town with her girlfriends.<br /><br /><br />Really? All those months in pregnancy and breastfeeding seem silly now when I think about the joys to be had shedding my uterine lining. From now on I'll think of it as a career boost!Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-23655619066126560692010-01-21T18:09:00.005-06:002010-01-21T18:25:02.682-06:00Grab Your Ankles<a href="http://images.oneofakindantiques.com/6063_yale_paddle_1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 640px; HEIGHT: 346px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://images.oneofakindantiques.com/6063_yale_paddle_1.jpg" /></a><br /><div><strong>In the tradition of higher learning. <p></p></strong></div><div></div><div>So imagine you landed the lead role in your high school play. Yippee, right? But now envision giving your lines on opening night without much practice, and as you make mistakes in front of everyone you get called out by your director. Oh, I forgot to mention that in this exercise of imagination, each goof-up puts someone's life in danger. <p></p></div><div></div><div>That's what it's like to be a resident learning procedures. I got a nice verbal equivalent of a paddling in the OR today. I know the Socratic method is "see one, do one, teach one," but how about 'see many, get hand-held through a few, and <em>then</em> do one'? <p></p></div><div></div><div><strong>When I'm told that I am not good at something, and it's because I'm either inherently incapable of the task or that I'm a screw-up it's really hard not to cry.</strong> But that's the last thing I'm allowed to do. Plus, it makes all female doctors look bad. <p></p></div><div></div><div>I was feeling pretty down when I grabbed my lunch. Across from me was a surgical resident and as soon as he finished his sandwich an attending physician came in and started pimping* him. He didn't have the correct answer and the same thing happened. The poor guy was told, in front of everyone, that he really needed to wake up and start learning. <p></p></div><div></div><div>Frankly, there's not a seat soft enough for our bottoms today. <p></p></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;">*This is the actual terminology for blasting your inferior medical resident/student with questions on the spot. </span></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-50963182290838966442010-01-16T09:53:00.005-06:002010-01-17T20:12:07.067-06:00Booby For Life<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2bWnIwIbq0aHd3oKDieuIntve9ynJ58GQYu4Y4Mbj1_qOimAuwzlsIg-w0MrQccpJ4q6-xXm39XbGNH_Q-DU0yDVvgSfDjbS_XYNAKFanmGg6wagtc7WYRs7hrhm4Lfnb54DDnO4How/s1600-h/BrstFeeDiet.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 330px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427896566271445442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2bWnIwIbq0aHd3oKDieuIntve9ynJ58GQYu4Y4Mbj1_qOimAuwzlsIg-w0MrQccpJ4q6-xXm39XbGNH_Q-DU0yDVvgSfDjbS_XYNAKFanmGg6wagtc7WYRs7hrhm4Lfnb54DDnO4How/s400/BrstFeeDiet.JPG" /></a><br /><div><strong>I had to laugh when I read about this 'breast-feeding diet.'</strong></div><br /><div>Feed your baby the natural way and you'll look like Angelina Jolie! The bottom line from this article is the same ol' thing you'll hear in any diet debate: calories in needs to be less than calories out. The end.<br /><br /><div>I am not yet back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I have those last 10 pounds to go. When I was breastfeeding I did use that as an excuse to say, finish off an entire box of cookies, or more. Well, it's a new me and a new year. Time to get on the stationary bike and watch what I eat.</div><br /><div>Getting thin is different from getting into shape. There are so many obstacles stacked up against mothers, though. We're extremely busy, have fluctuating hormones, and told "don't lift anything heavier than your baby" at discharge. -The perfect storm. </div><br /><div>I've noticed that the first thing that goes is the lumbar/core strength, which is key for happy living. What's the number one reason for a doctor's visit? Back pain. How do we remedy that? I actually found the perfect solution online, no joke. If you follow <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/core-strength/SM00047">these magnificent instructions from the Mayo Clinic</a> I, Resident Mommy, promise you better quality of life. </div><div></div><br /><div>Don't wait until you have spinal arthritis, I'm serious. Otherwise you'll see me coming at you with <a href="http://www.openradiology.org/zosirws/survey/biopsies/images/p_a_bms/bms_m4.jpg">one of these</a>. </div></div>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-59531487850852567412010-01-15T08:31:00.003-06:002010-01-17T20:01:56.998-06:00Haiti Needs You<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">She needs all of us</span>.<br /><br />Haiti has had a soft spot in my heart for a long time. My father was born in Puerto Rico, which is the next island over from Hispaniola. I have always thought of the Haitians are my poor, neglected cousins.<br /><br />We cannot look away anymore. The amount of suffering since the earthquake, which struck near Port-Au-Prince earlier this week, has caused unimaginable suffering. Of particular concern to me are all the orphans and injured children. No doubt there are many brain injuries and traumatic amputations that need medical attention now.<br /><br />If you're looking for a place to donate, I'm a fan of <a href="https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=197&hbc=1&source=ADR1001E1D01">Doctors without Borders</a>.Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-83580548455687262242010-01-15T08:06:00.004-06:002015-01-29T22:20:25.335-06:00Breast is Still the Best<a href="http://rlv.zcache.com/international_symbol_icon_for_breastfeeding_poster-p228008107567892669t5ta_400.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://rlv.zcache.com/international_symbol_icon_for_breastfeeding_poster-p228008107567892669t5ta_400.jpg" style="cursor: hand; height: 400px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Don't get me wrong from my previous post.</span><br />
<br />
Breastfeeding is still the best choice for mother and baby. I would not have struggled as I did if that weren't true. Breastmilk gives babies their greatest nutritional support, decreases their chance of infection, while lowering mommy's cancer risk.<br />
<br />
My goal was to make it to six months. Whenever I felt like giving up, I thought about the following two examples of perseverance:<br />
<ul><br />
<li>Dr.W: Another resident mommy, pumped for months in between 4+ hour orthopedic surgeries. When she got engorged, Dr.W wasn't allowed to adjust her bra because not only was she 'scrubbed in,' she also had a lead apron on top!<br /></li>
<li>Lanisa Allen: Had to sneak away to use a public bathroom to pump her milk and was fired for it. See her story <a href="http://breastfeeding.blog.motherwear.com/2009/09/cnn-anchor-campbell-brown-on-pumping-at-work-and-the-fired-for-pumping-case-1.html">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-6362144640980991542010-01-11T18:31:00.005-06:002010-01-11T18:55:32.139-06:00An Unfair Depiction<a href="http://imgsrv.wljn.com/image/wljn/UserFiles/Image/freedom.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 376px; HEIGHT: 260px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://imgsrv.wljn.com/image/wljn/UserFiles/Image/freedom.jpg" /></a><br /><div><strong>But I'm not tied down to my breast pump. <p></p></strong></div><div></div><div>Y'know, when the Mormons were first asked to practice polygamy most of them went kicking and screaming into the practice. Then when they were commanded to stop, they had a hard time letting go. That was my experience with breastfeeding. <p></p></div><div>The gap in posts had to do with me being on my most demanding rotation while soaking in the reality of my academic situation. . . all the while working to save someone's life (I'll explain later, on 1/20/10). I had always said that I would stop pumping at the 6 month mark, but just before the finish line my supply went down. . . WAY down. It had to do with a ton of stress and my inability to find time during the day. I became all hung up on the idea of stopping on <em>my</em> terms, not because I was 'failing' to produce. <p></p>So I got all worked up, pumped more, fell behind in my work, this added stress, which produced less milk and the cycle continued! Until now, that is. Last week I produced 2.5 ounces, gave my boy this meager portion, and put my supplies away. The large box of nursing pads, bras, tubes, valves, shields, etc got sealed up and put into storage. Part of me was elated; the other part felt terrible for withdrawing this part of myself from my baby. The next week as my normal pumping hour approached I had pangs of regret and actually tried to collect whatever I could manually squeeze out. I came home quite upset when my husband finally said, "It's time." <p></p></div><div>He's right. 6 months of breastfeeding for a resident mommy is a lot. My baby is on solids now and I can help him to progress in other ways. I'm told I can still feed part-time, but the truth is I need every minute of the day (except for necessary sanity breaks such as this) to reclaim my life. </div><div></div><div></div>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-19462745807334982102009-11-21T07:00:00.001-06:002009-12-06T11:23:28.093-06:00A Good Laugh - The Seal<a href="http://bookmarketing.open24x7.biz/catalog/images/prodimg/img790.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 395px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://bookmarketing.open24x7.biz/catalog/images/prodimg/img790.jpg" /></a><br /><div><strong>Been reading this <em>way</em> too much.</strong> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>And I think I'm a little sleep deprived. This is the true story of what happened during our nighttime routine last month:</div><br /><div><strong>Hubby</strong>: Will you say the prayer tonight?</div><div></div><br /><div><strong>Me</strong>: Sure. [closes eyes]</div><br /><div>Our Father in Heaven, we're thankful we could touch such a BEAUTIFUL animal. . . and that it is a <a href="http://tailsmagazines.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/seal-cute.jpg">seal</a>. . . [wakes up] Wait what?!</div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Me & Hubby</strong>: [laugh uncontrollably]</div><br /><div></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:78%;">Soon to come: What does Nacho Libre have in common with my boob?</span></div>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-20761072659600691392009-11-15T13:00:00.006-06:002009-11-15T13:48:35.138-06:00Baby B'Air Product Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2WsibcL_ta3rO61vdmz3mCnpjBtb5bf4dwRU0aPxDNgmOJ2bDrGKPI7560btU72V8aFUN_3Xm5uSF4n6dT_w5McgosuYXXBwmsOzD4dABCr71RN07VPr4m4GnJBhpQ52Ogurjp9cxmU/s1600-h/IMG_3518b.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 303px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404418327600195970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2WsibcL_ta3rO61vdmz3mCnpjBtb5bf4dwRU0aPxDNgmOJ2bDrGKPI7560btU72V8aFUN_3Xm5uSF4n6dT_w5McgosuYXXBwmsOzD4dABCr71RN07VPr4m4GnJBhpQ52Ogurjp9cxmU/s400/IMG_3518b.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>Two firsts: Flight and a head cold. Doh!<br /></strong><br />I was oh-so-fortunate to win this little item from <a href="http://www.themarketingmama.com/">The Marketing Mama</a>. The Baby B'Air is a vest meant to be worn by small children during a plane ride while sitting on their parent's lap, which fastens them to the seat belt. If you go to <a href="http://www.babybair.com/">Baby B'Air's website</a> and watch the video, you'll learn why the inventor was inspired to come up with something more secure than mommy or daddy's interlaced fingers.<br /><br /><strong>I'll start out with things to keep in mind when using the Baby B'Air vest, just to get that over with:</strong><br /><ul><li>When sitting upright, the child has to face away from you. My baby loves to make eye contact so this was a little hard on him.</li><br /><li>You can lie your baby down, which is nice. . . but the harness becomes more taught in this position and can cause skin breakdown. I found this out when I went to change Philippe's diaper and discovered an area on the thigh that had been chaffed.<br /></li></ul><p><strong>On to the good stuff:</strong><br /></p><ul><li>The Baby B'Air makes total sense! If you strap your kid down in a car, why not on a plane?</li><br /><li>It makes you feel prepared. This was our first flight with baby and having the B'Air made us feel like pros.</li><br /><li>Peace of mind. I won't name names, but I know someone who let her newborn roll from her arms to the floor as she dozed off on the sofa. Things happen. And there are worse consequences if all of a sudden turbulence strikes. I have to say our plane got jostled from time to time and I felt better knowing Philippe was secured by the Baby B'Air.</li><br /><li>Finally, it's cute! We got a lot of compliments.</li></ul>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-76468838885960727552009-11-07T10:21:00.005-06:002009-11-07T10:37:18.560-06:00Herbal Help<div align="left"><a href="http://www.ecobathroom.com/shop/baby/images/Milkmaid%20Tea.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 500px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.ecobathroom.com/shop/baby/images/Milkmaid%20Tea.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>Hey, this actually works.</strong><br /></div><br />Since I'm on my most demanding rotation now, I need all the help I can get to keep up the milk supply. My average output was on the decline and I decided to give this herbal tea stuff a try. The active ingredient is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenugreek">fenugreek</a>, which can also be found in curry. The result? I went from 9oz to 12-15oz at the end of the work day (depending on how much I get to hydrate).<br /><br />The taste isn't spectacular, but it's fine with a drop of honey. The downside is that I think my sweat now smells like tandoori chicken. <p></p><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Sidenote: As a follow-up to my neck injury, it still hurts! One of the young male nurses called me Dr. Batman. -Which I thought meant I was heroic in all my doctorly pursuits. Alas this is not the intent. It's in reference to the rigid mask Michael Keaton wore, which didn't allow him to turn his neck during Batman's fight scenes.</span>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-318031610466224122009-11-04T15:03:00.004-06:002009-11-04T15:28:49.239-06:00A Pain in the Neck<a href="http://www.rainbowskill.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/neck_pain.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.rainbowskill.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/neck_pain.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><strong>I <em>had</em> hope for the future . . .</strong><br /><br />But then I destroyed my neck. I hurt it by using a bad side-lying position to breastfeed my sick baby <u>all</u> night on Saturday. The following day I went to pick him up and heard an awful tearing sound coming from my cervical spine.<br /><br />The irony is, people in the medical field get the least mercy when they are ill or hurt. If you're having fevers, puking, or got the runs you're still expected to come in. A torn muscle? <em>Puh-leez</em>. So I tried to endure the first few days of my new rotation, but here I am typing this post from home. . . unable to look anywhere except straight ahead.<br /><br />I actually don't have any sick days to use because my maternity leave (a whopping 5 weeks) ate them all up. I'm using the last of my vacation days, which I had reserved for emergencies such as this and/or my brother-in-law's upcoming wedding . . . in Japan. Sadly, this time off might mean I can't go anymore. (If you're reading this Paul and Mayu, I'm soooo sorry!!!)<br /><br />I couldn't have imagined I'd hurt myself this badly. If you consider that I gave birth to my son who was face-up <strong>without an epidural </strong>and now I'm tearing up from pain you know that this is bad.<br /><p>Just trying to rest up and pray that I'm OK by tomorrow. Because this resident mommy must get back to work. </p>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-54099866895569645232009-10-31T12:00:00.003-05:002009-10-31T12:20:19.586-05:00Thanks for Your Love & Support<a href="http://jsgoecke.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/ekg_flatline_200x133.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://jsgoecke.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/ekg_flatline_200x133.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I know that last post was shameful, but your follow-up comments and my recent experiences have taught me something . . .<br /><br /><strong>I might just <em>need</em> this blog to get through the rest of residency.</strong><br /><br />This being the end of the month, I went over to the ward where I'll be doing my next rotation. I explained to them my needs for pumping and requested a private room, preferably with a computer. Everyone there was amazed by the gadgets I had and the insight given to me to navigate motherhood.<br /><br />"You must have a lot of mommy friends" one of the nurses commented.<br /><br />I started to think about my friends, both in my community and on the web. Sappy as it is, I felt particularly grateful for all the love and support at my finger tips.<br /><br />The next day I spoke with a mommy-to-be who is overwhelmed at the thought of going back to work post-partum. She told me that she visited my blog and it reassured her that if a resident mom could do it, she could do it.<br /><br /><strong>Now this blog and <a href="http://residentmommy.blogspot.com/2009/10/dear-bella-band.html">my bella band</a> have something major in common, I'm crawling back to it.<br /></strong><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">(If you want to know why I had my little breakdown, you'll have to send me an e-mail. It's just too much to write about here.)</span>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-23215427618210718612009-10-28T22:04:00.006-05:002009-10-31T12:31:58.640-05:00Out with a Whimper<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOIspbvW8XeCxSoP7q7XWJCoRNH-0pwruu_Fb-tfX7chQC2uIhxKkvf45Q1TW-Se1h8n5GsdiQuk9b5CqPPwPv_AidqirUGo03Jeg5vdRxlkq1OfncFXN-WZDpH50yIhM59Qi1clSKvxI/s1600-h/Qsign.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 163px; HEIGHT: 157px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398817695725557858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOIspbvW8XeCxSoP7q7XWJCoRNH-0pwruu_Fb-tfX7chQC2uIhxKkvf45Q1TW-Se1h8n5GsdiQuk9b5CqPPwPv_AidqirUGo03Jeg5vdRxlkq1OfncFXN-WZDpH50yIhM59Qi1clSKvxI/s400/Qsign.JPG" /></a><br /><div>I think this blog is going to die. </p>It has positive <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_slang">Q sign</a> if ever I saw one.<br /><br />Who cares about injury prevention anyway? Or pelvic health for that matter. -I can't believe I just typed that. How pathetic!<br /><br />The real reason I'm pessimistic right now is because I don't even know if I have it in me to finish residency. I had one of those last straw moments today. Attacked yet again about my breast milk.<br /><br />I give up. This blog was a paradox anyway, the life of a resident mom is much too hectic for the blog world, right?</div>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10393322393137636968noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-18148676234410477062009-10-25T15:43:00.003-05:002009-10-25T15:49:27.066-05:00Back from Conference!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFTQnMQkGaOHB-pqTqbu2xS9PbIS4o24WKrI3zUv3Rzk-_3FQGy-RFcjb9DTdezkgzqlTOPPMiTt_QHEBMNHIpMHS_e-c7JaDzWLsPTL-JWzEMyQEFSAmbKaJWRcB2jQBIfumHDTKLVg/s1600-h/PosterPresWebReady.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 302px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396641798931998194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFTQnMQkGaOHB-pqTqbu2xS9PbIS4o24WKrI3zUv3Rzk-_3FQGy-RFcjb9DTdezkgzqlTOPPMiTt_QHEBMNHIpMHS_e-c7JaDzWLsPTL-JWzEMyQEFSAmbKaJWRcB2jQBIfumHDTKLVg/s400/PosterPresWebReady.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOHXrBQ6_tccq6c0osVIwpKYOZHKqa_obIt26IfLhlcxSe_z8q9FP0ljZ_EsirwTHvvg5XUjMdHaRcUkpBn9ltWwyGnrhzpkMwPcradbk8Ioj5Cd7BclphedIFvWI2h8AE_StFwGB4BQ/s1600-h/IMG_3603.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 303px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396641794039072962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOHXrBQ6_tccq6c0osVIwpKYOZHKqa_obIt26IfLhlcxSe_z8q9FP0ljZ_EsirwTHvvg5XUjMdHaRcUkpBn9ltWwyGnrhzpkMwPcradbk8Ioj5Cd7BclphedIFvWI2h8AE_StFwGB4BQ/s400/IMG_3603.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Sorry about the pause in posts (did anyone notice?), I just got back from a medical conference in Austin, TX. There's me with my poster about a device that can help paralyzed patients get around, and with a fellow resident mommy!</div><br /><div>Many, many way cool pictures to follow. . .</div>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-33221536541131900132009-10-19T22:31:00.002-05:002009-10-19T22:33:50.991-05:00The Nursery<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gOwB2ZOlXlhYXyPWBBwc8JZbZMxFRxhRjCOARd48wSmkrCuk4ATR6nKrsebzG_j7vTkOo6VUF01XNajNmp9Wh8xjnps1VWy7yFvnby-S6YuU3onKpAYlukU-iLa9k0_Zlw95GakrQWE/s1600-h/IMG_3487bb.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gOwB2ZOlXlhYXyPWBBwc8JZbZMxFRxhRjCOARd48wSmkrCuk4ATR6nKrsebzG_j7vTkOo6VUF01XNajNmp9Wh8xjnps1VWy7yFvnby-S6YuU3onKpAYlukU-iLa9k0_Zlw95GakrQWE/s400/IMG_3487bb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394519900739700626" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monkeys, goats, fish. . . the usual.</span><br /><br />By the time he's off to college I think I'll have it all put together.Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-50399888143960188962009-10-15T21:00:00.007-05:002009-10-15T21:30:23.458-05:00"That Girl is Poison"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.uulyrics.com/cover/b/bell-biv-devoe/album-poison.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 300px;" src="http://images.uulyrics.com/cover/b/bell-biv-devoe/album-poison.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">They're singing about my milk.</span><br /><br />I'm doing another out-patient rotation this month and thought I had the perfect setup for pumping. Unfortunately, the private clinic rooms were all in use last week and I had to search for a new spot to do my thing. I asked a young woman who works as a medical assistant where I might go and she said, "You have no where to go, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">everything's</span> taken, there's a bathroom around the corner."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">If there's one thing I'm firm about, it's that </span><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">breastmilk</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> should NOT be expressed in the bathroom.</span> I politely declined, and set out to continue my search for a place to pump. At a point of desperation I decided to use the common room for hospital employees. I wasn't excited about this, since people (both men and women) come and go through, but it was my best option and I was literally about to burst.<br /><br />As I was getting set-up, the same medical assistant comes in and looks at me like I have leprosy. "You're not doing THAT in here! Why don't you go to the BATHROOM?! People <u>eat</u> in here!" her words were dripping with disgust. It was then that I realized how offensive she found my milk to be. I said, "it's just not sanitary in there." To which her reply was: "Oh, like it's that much cleaner in here?" Without pause I stated "I'd like to think there's a lower fecal count where you prepare lunch, yes."<br /><br />She left in a fury.<br /><br />Today as I returned to clinic that woman gave me the stink-eye and conspicuously whispered something to a coworker while looking in my direction. I know she can't wait for me to move on to another rotation, and take my poisonous nipples with me.<br /><br />The whole situation would make me very upset, except is reminds me of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvVZegDnbJU&feature=PlayList&p=D291697A86C152EC&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=6">one of my favorite videos on the web</a>.Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-74859489320685648332009-10-13T20:55:00.004-05:002009-10-13T21:23:13.780-05:00Baby Monitors: Whatcha Gonna Do?<a href="http://www.babycarehub.com/wp-content/uploads/angelcare-movement-sensor.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 280px; HEIGHT: 280px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.babycarehub.com/wp-content/uploads/angelcare-movement-sensor.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><strong>Peace of mind, some say.</strong><br /><div></div><br /><div>I've been hearing and reading a lot about new mothers who monitor their babies all night. At the slightest beep they're up and running to check out what's wrong.</div><div></div><br /><div>Personally, I wouldn't be able to live like that. We were given a monitor at our baby shower and haven't used it. I figure, if something truly dramatic were going on I'd hear it down the hall. </div><div></div><br /><div>The morbid thing I have to wonder is, what would the average parent do if they found their lifeless baby in the crib? -A scary image, I know. I remember one time my son was in such a deep sleep that he didn't move a muscle when I caressed his face during a nap. I poked his belly and I still got nothing. Finally I yelled his name and whisked him into my arms, only to have him stare back at me like I was crazy. I was all ready to jump into my basic resuscitation skills, though it felt extremely different when the 'patient' is your own child. </div><div></div><br /><div>I highly recommend that parents and caregivers be comfortable with basic CPR. All the nursery gadgets in the world would be useless without it. I know a lot of hospitals offer community courses for certification. If you don't have time for that, check out these links (I have to say that the YouTube stuff isn't official, but it's better than nothing):</div><ul><br /><li><a href="http://depts.washington.edu/learncpr/infantcpr.html">Basic Infant CPR</a></li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2pZt_VYOMw&feature=related">Baby CPR Video</a></li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5FFBSh366E">Baby Choking</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3045660">AHA Program</a></li></ul><div>Of course I hope and pray you'll <em>never</em> have to use this information.</div>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427078551535383732.post-79708611753045128072009-10-11T23:11:00.007-05:002009-10-15T20:57:58.263-05:00Dear Bella Band,<a href="http://www.blushmom.com/Portals/1/fas_BellaBand.jpg"><img style="width: 235px; height: 205px;" alt="" src="http://www.blushmom.com/Portals/1/fas_BellaBand.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>Thou art my frenemy.</strong> <p></p></div><div></div><div></div><div>You were super cool in the beginning. Thanks for helping to make my wardrobe last through the months of pregnancy. I used to show you off, my inseperable buddy. <p></p></div><div></div><div></div><div>I remember the day I went into labor and I placed you in a container and put you in storage. Like all good things, I thought our relationship had come to an end. We were parting on good terms, though. I would have fond memories of you hugging my bump and growing with me.<p></p></div><div></div><div>Sad was the day I returned from the hospital and realized that I still needed you. Yes, I came crawling back and unsealed your container. There you were, rolling your fabric in a way that could only mean "I-knew-it." <p></p></div><div></div><div></div><div>It's been almost 4 months post-partum and we're still together, a fact that frankly depresses me. Sometimes I blame it on the skinny jean fad that spiked in my fertile window. -But you know better. You've been gossiping with my nursing bras, haven't you? Laughing about your permanence at my expense. <p></p></div><div></div><div></div><div>(Were you the one who slipped that coupon for cookie dough into my purse? <em>Figures.</em>) <p></p></div><div></div><div></div><div>You're lucky I don't have the time to exercise, but once this nursing business is finished it is SO over between us. That is, until I get pregnant again and we're BFFs. </div><div></div>Moniquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081579761529247034noreply@blogger.com6