Thursday 31 January 2013

Baby Steps


It's February tomorrow and I promised a *weight loss* update on the 5th but I thought I might do it early.
I'm not at all sure how this blog turned from a forum for all sorts of discussion to an e-diary and I dont really like it but everything evolves, right?
So, for those who aren't connected to me via facebook the picture is the baby born of my first solo doula-ing effort on the day she turned a month old and became officially ready to be presented to the world in the culture of her family. It was a delight and an honour to be there both when she was born and for the debut, if I may call it that.
I had another client who I ushered through days of pre-labour, even attended a "false alarm" but was eventually barred from the birth: there was a need for security at the birth and despite my requests I didnt get security clearance to be present so I spent the day sending good birthing vibes (as they say in this granola world) and the wee boy was born on the day Liam turned 18. January 15 is a good day to have a son :)
The weight loss program has resulted so far in not an ounce of discernible loss but also no gain, which is probably an achievement years of gradual porkiness. Apart from a night out with a girlfriend, when I thought it sociable to have one drink, I have managed to stick with the program, drink-wise. The breakfast thing still needs some attention but I'm doing better than I did and I am resisting cakes and ice creams some of the time. Baby steps!
After a few episodes of extreme wheeziness and lot of episodes of lesser wheeziness I figured out last week that Briony has a corn allergy. Corn allergy is a terrible allergy to have because there is no legal requirement that it be identified in labelling as things like nuts, egg or shellfish might be labelled and there is corn or a derivative in every imaginable product from toothpaste to shampoo, processed foods, disposable cutlery, medications.......and the list goes on.
I was a little overwhelmed until I realised that not every corn product is a problem for Briony and in fact, it is probably GM that causes the problem so we just need to be a little judicious. I told her that slurpees are probably a bad idea, due to high levels of corn syrup. Her response: "Oh yea, I knew I couldnt have slurpees, I react every time but I told you it was from running"
You gotta laugh, dont you?

The brief but steep learning curve over the maize thing has led me to reassess some of the products that come into the house and even though it's not as bad as I first thought, it has inspired some extra care over food. In line with the "baby steps" idea, I started to make my own muesli. It's good and really a lot better than what I used to buy. The only problem is it's too hot to be running the oven to make it so today I'm going to experiment with cooking it in the slow cooker. I'm looking forward to that!

So....there you have it, the run down of my little world and I'll finish with a pic of my new adult, cos he's irresistible.



16 comments:

  1. You couldn't get security clearance? That's crazy. How could you possibly be a threat to anyone?

    A shame about the corn allergy, that'll mean so much fastidiousness around food. Especially if corn isn't necessarily listed on food labels. But I guess it's something you gradually adjust to.

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  2. nick,
    my lack of clearance was partly because i wasnt given the correct information about how to apply.
    As for what threat i could be, i have considered this quite a lot and have decided that it is exactly my unthreatening appearance that could make me dangerous, should i wish to be. Security agencies have a duty to regard everyone as a risk until the risk is assessed.

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  3. One of the downsides of being a hospital L&D nurse is that once a baby and its family leaves the hospital, they're out of your life forever.

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  4. i guess that's sad at times. i was told that doulas have to draw firm boundaries as to the end of the relationship or else we will be invited to every birthday party and so on.
    that is not a problem for me just starting out but even when i get to be busier i think it might be nice to keep some kind of connection.

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  5. Good on you kylie, we have started to try and eat better than we usually do ! With a lot more fresh vegies and fruit , after we both have become a little curvier !! Trying to say no to hot chips, dips , cheese is harder than you think !! congratulations on your new adult !!

    Fee xx

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  6. "i was told that doulas have to draw firm boundaries as to the end of the relationship or else we will be invited to every birthday party and so on.'

    But surely a doula can encourage ongoing relationships with people she especially likes. Peggy would love to have children in her life, and here she is a L&D nurse. I wish she were willing to give people she likes her phone number, but she's shy about reaching out. She's a wonderful friend to those who are willing to take the time to get to know her, but they have to take the initiative, and patients don't feel comfortable that. Besides, it's an odd situation they're in, one that most people know little about.

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  7. Fee,
    As I remember you ate loads of fruit and veg!
    But getting healthy is never a bad thing.
    I hope you are enjoying life these days, i'm embarrassed to say I lost your email address again :)
    xx

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  8. Snow,
    What a shame Peggy is shy about reaching out, lots of new mums need some support but dont know where to look.
    I have volunteered to work with local refugee support groups, specifically with mothers and also make morning tea at the local church mums & babies activity. I wonder if Peggy could find outlets like that?
    I know that most doulas tend to stay in touch with some clients so i'm sure its an individual thing, my mentor just didnt want to have more than a business relationship.

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  9. Keep it up, Kylie. Love hearing how you are doing well.

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  10. KYLIE!

    WHERE

    are

    YOU?!

    No posts since January. I can't believe it. Have you taken one down?

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  11. i am right here mister snow brush, i just dont have anything to say and no, i didnt take one down :)

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  12. " i just dont have anything to say and no"

    Could it be that you're running too strong a filter between what you think, feel, and experience and what you say?

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  13. who, me???? that would be unusual, more like i'm not thinking :)

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  14. "that would be unusual, more like i'm not thinking :)"

    I can't relate to that, but I've heard that it can happen.

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  15. You wrote on my blog that you posted. I don't see no post.

    ReplyDelete

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