Natalya has been using the potty for the last few weeks. Today while she was on the potty I stepped a metre away to put her nappy in the nappy bucket. When I turned back she had finished on the potty and was heading to the toilet bowl to empty it as she has seen me do many times.
Children watch us and learn. I wonder how many of my bad habits she is also learning.

Unsuccessful athletes, or those who have never tried, are not paid to tell us about the realities or rewards of athletics. Breastfeeding is one of the few activities where having failed at it, or refused to try, can make one an expert commentator.
~ Maureen Minchin

I just came across this quote on the ABA forum. It was in response to a mother complaining that people keep trying to undermine her confidence in her ability to breastfeed by suggesting that she give her 7 week old baby formula so she will sleep through the night. Or her mother in law who is questioning the quality of her breastmilk - despite the fact the baby is putting on weight and has adequate wet and dirty nappies.

Why to some people feel the need to undermine women who are successfully breastfeeding?

Natalya and I got home today. Haydon was out the door to greet us as soon as I stopped the car. He really missed us.
We went to Perth on Friday morning and stayed with my Mum. Haydon had a week of night shift and my cousin Kevin had his 50th Birthday party in Perth on Sunday so we thought it would be a good idea for me to take Natalya to Perth. We were supposed to leave for Perth on Wednesday but Natalya and I still had the flu so we didn't leave until Friday.
We had a great time in Perth. Unfortunatly we didn't catch up with many people as I got very tired having been sick recently. I just managed to get most of my Christmas shopping done. It was great to catch up with my cousins and their children - the oldest of whom is only 5 year younger than me! My cousins daughter and I worked out that her boyfriend is older than my husband.
It is great to be home.

As a new parent or even not so new parent we tend to get lots of unwanted advice and comments about  our choices.
I found this list of comebacks. "What can you say?"
What is your best comeback line to an unwanted criticism or  question?

We just got our latest copy of Epilepsy 360. It is a great magazine.
I noticed that they are looking for mothers who have taken anti-epileptic drugs while pregnant for a study being conducted at Monash University and Southern Health Victoria.
They "want to be able to reassure women that their seizure medication is safe because they know seizures can be bad for mums-to-be and babies"
Participation is voluntary for those fitting the recruitment criteria and open to mothers from any area in Australia.
For more information contact Monash University of (03) 9594 5543
email neuroscience.researchMMC@ med.monash.edu.au
or call the Australian Pregnancy Register free on 1800 06 97 22.

I am typing this one handed while breastfeeding my daughter Natalya. She will turn one on Christmas Eve.
I love being able to nurse her, to know that I am providing her with a nutritious living fluid that helps her fight disease. I love holding her and watching her while she feeds and falls asleep at my breast. We are just getting over the flu, I was able to help her fight the virus. That feels good!
I hope we have at least two more years of this very special relationship. It really is a magical experience.
I am so glad I persevered through the bleeding nipples and miss-information, low supply days etc to get to this point.
I wish every mother could experience this. Sadly many women are given faulty information by health professionals and well meaning but poorly informed friends and family that prevents them from experiencing it. How can we stop the miss-information and give them the opportunity to experience this basic right?

I just found this article about the environmental influence of feeding choices.
Mother Nature loves breastmilk.
I realize that some women are /were unable to breastfeed. I am truly sorry for your loss.
I placed this link in my blog in the hope it might make a woman who can breastfeed choose to breastfeed for longer.

Natalya and I have the flu and I lost my voice a few days ago. I can't read,sing or even talk to my daughter. Reading books before bed is a silent event. Just as well she likes looking at the pictures and turning the pages.

Natalya had a three hour sleep this morning - with me holding her. Just then while she was in the high chair my husband came up and hugged me and told me that he loved me. then he turned to Natalya and said "My turn to hug Mummy"
Poor man he really does get neglected. I love him heaps but she gets the lions-share of my time and energy and affection.

Natalya and I are still not well. This morning after we woke up we were both coughing up crap. Then when I went into the bathroom to wash my hands I noticed that my head was shaking. Just a bit but I was unable to feel the movement or to stop the movement. I got a bit scared by this. Worried it may be an early warning sign of a stroke or something so I put Natalya in her pram and we walked to the hospital- I was too scared to drive.
I was going to go through to the old peoples home section when Haydon was working this morning and ask him what he thought bit I saw one of his colleges on the way in and asked her. She agreed that I should see a doctor. She went and asked the doctor doing his rounds on the ward if he would see me in the emergency department on his way out.
Luckily he agreed. He said it was nothing to do with stroke but that my balance organ in the middle ear was affected by my flu. He has prescribed some steroids for me and said that Natalya will get them through my breastmilk to help treat her symptoms.
Unfortunately I didn't have my wallet in my handbag so I couldn't go straight to the chemist. I have rung a friend who lives nearby and hopefully when she gets the message she will get my script when she goes down town this morning. I am sick of this flu!

Natalya and I have come down with a cold. She has a runny nose gunky eyes and has been cranky and sleeping a lot. I have the runny nose and a sore throat and a headache (she probably has those but can't tell me), and we have both started coughing. I had a bit of nausea too but luckily it has gone.
She looks as if she is getting better faster than me which makes sense. We give our babies first call on the nutrients when breastfeeding so I guess she is getting the best of my anti-bodies and I just get what is left. I am fine with that. She has first priority. It is nice to know I am helping her to get better.

I am going to an ABA meeting tomorrow. The topic is "Breastfeeding beyond one year".  I have been doing a bit of research on the web. Did you know
The World Health Organisation recommends breastfeeding to at least 2 years of age
Dr Fiona Wood Australian of the year breastfed all 6 of her children - the youngest until she was 6.
There are still nutritional and immunity benefits in feeding an older child.
  For more information on the benefits you may like to read this article Nursing beyond one year

or this extended breastfeeding fact sheet from KellyMom
I must admit I don't like the use of the term extended breastfeeding. I prefer to use the term full-term breastfeeding.

Stay away from my town at the moment. All the babies are sick or just not themselves. Mika rang last night cause Yuri had a high temp. She ended up taking her to emergency but she is home now. She had a temp again this morning when I rang. Mel is taking Reese back to the doctor again she is still very unwell. Sam has been sick too and was still not himself on Sunday. Tia has been clingy and not herself for about a week and a half. Natalya has been cranky and sleeping more than usual. I just heard Gus has been sick too.  Sounds like something is going around.

I am just so impressed with the way Natalya has taken to using the potty. Whenever I go to the toilet I take Natalya with me and sit her on her potty at my feet. The first time I did tried it she did a wee and then she got up. Now she does a wee nearly everytime and sometimes a poo too. She waits until she is finished an then she gets up. I certainly didn't expect her to work it out this quickly. I am very impressed. I used to have to sit her on my lap while I went to the toilet ('she who can't be put down') so maybe that is how she learned it. She still has lots of wet nappies but now she hardly ever has a dirty nappy because she usually does it at the potty.  What can I say - she's a natural. She knows where the shit goes!

On Monday I was lucky enough to meet internationally bestselling author Kathryn Fox. She was touring the south west region of Western Australia speaking at libraries as part of the Sunday Times Big Book Club.
Unfortunately all her books were out of the library before the talk so I didn't get to read her book beforehand. She was a really interesting speaker. She spoke about influences in her life that influenced her writing. KF grew up in South Australia just after the Beaumont children went missing. Kathryn Fox is a medical practitioner with a special interest in forensic medicine. She lives in Sydney. She has worked as a family physician, medical journalist and freelance writer having written regularly for publications including Australian Doctor, CLEO magazine and the Sun Herald. Her debut novel, Malicious Intent, received international acclaim and was the 2005 Davitt award winner for adult fiction. Kathryn is currently working on a TV project.
I bought a copy of her first book 'Malicious Intent' and she signed it for me. She appeared quite taken with Natalya. Natalya was very well behaved during the talk, especially as I had woken her to get there on time.
When we got home Natalya fell asleep in my arms so I read and read and couldn't put the book down until I finished it. It is a great book, I recommend it! Now I need to get my hands on her second book, 'Criminal Inient'.