Drum Roll Please....

It is with great pleasure that I am announcing the launch of a fantastic new Irish based website all about breastfeeding (my second favourite topic, the first being Cathal).

www.thebreastway.ie

A huge congratulations goes out to the creator of the site (well done boobies!!!), and to all the women and babies who turned out just over a week ago in Cabinteely to have pictures taken to help promote the site. A great day was had by all, even if we did look like a bit of a cult with Gingerpixel snapping our photos and Jo selling her nipple cupcakes.

Breastfeeding has become such an important issue to me, and the low precentage of women who do continue to breastfeed past 6 weeks is truely shocking. The majority of women feel let down by our health system in terms of support (no shock there, especially to us special parents too), many feel that they are doing something wrong when their 6 day old babies won't settle and everyone (including some health professionals) tell them that they should just pack it in, a bottle will sort them out. Only a few women seem to know that things get better, very quickly. Why is that?..... Lack of education, knowledge and support that should all be provided to any woman who decides to "give it a go".

But finally, there is a place where these women can go for honest, researched answers. So in the future, if you have a baby, and you think...hmmm....I would like to breastfeed, arm yourself with the knowledge and information, check out my breastfeeding links on the left hand side. And any questions that you might have, there is support out there.

Tick A Box

This may surprise you, I may have fooled you up till now, but it's time to tell the truth.
I am a complete introvert....shocking, I know.

On my second attempt at college (the successful one), as part of my course, I had to do a bit of psychology. Nothing too taxing, bit more of an Idiots Guide. I remember very little of it, but what I do remember is one particular lecture about Jung's introverts and extroverts. We each took a little test to find out which box we fit into, and low and behold, I fit snugly in the introvert one. I was one of two or three out of a class of almost 30 to be like that. I've never been terrible social. Not that I don't go out, I just don't get the staying out very late, getting tipsy, having to shout over loud music. Do I sound like an old bat yet? Hang on, I'll just whip out my knitting and wave a needle around critically. I like to socialise in small groups of good friends, nothing too strenuous, with my own comfy bed waiting for me at the end of a long (no later than 1.30am) night.

But now I think that Cathal is changing all that. Suddenly, I am not happy to stay home and mooch around the house. Now I need company. I have never been very good at meeting new people, making new friends, but all of a sudden, I am craving chats and tea. Does mammyness do this to you? You make that extra effort because of your new little bunddle? You need to seek out adult conversation before you go mad singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for the 47th time that day?

The Mammy Box: Very soon after Cathal came home for the second time, a little summer walking group was formed, through the magic of RollerCoaster. We only got to go walking a few times before the rain drove us indoors, and chatting and tea took over.

The Special Mammy Box: Recently, a few of us mammies of babies with DS have been getting together once a week, in each others houses to chat and yes.....drink tea. Cathal has made some friends at this little get together, Ava, Noah, Liam and more recently Mannix.

The Breast Feeding Mammy Box: Also, in the last few weeks, I've been meeting a few other breastfeeding mammies to chat about, yes, you guessed it, breastfeeding. Again we all met through the amazing RollerCoaster.

The Baby/ Toddler Group Mammy Box: Tomorrow I am going to go to my first real, properly organised, baby and toddler group, to meet more mammies and babies. I'll drink more tea (I do like tea) and catch up with my sister-in-law.

The School Mammy Box: Don't forget that mammy, the most important one. We go to school once a week to sing songs and look at twinkly lights on the ceiling. There is also some tea involved.

A different Mammy hat to put on every day


That's my life now, different boxes that I tick, a range of different mammy jigsaw puzzles that fit together to make up a picture of me. For a complete and total introvert, I think I'm making great progress at socialising, if not for my sake, but for Cathal's. It's good to stimulate both our brains.




P.S. Cathal got his medical card today, I didn't even have to put up a fight!!

Counting Down

Although I know what is to come (we have already had a taste), although I know my eyes will be red and swollen from crying, although I know I will not be able to sleep, I really cannot wait for Cathal to have his heart operation. I just want it behind us. The worry, the fear and the tears will all be worth it to get our lives back on track. It feels as though time has stood still, and all I am doing is waiting.
There is no date yet for the operation, all we know is that it should be around March, when Cathal is a year old. We will see his cardiologist (I really must learn how to spell that word) in about a weeks time, so maybe then we might be able to pry some information out of him. Until then, all we can do is wait and wait and wait....

I don't want to bring Cathal on holidays outside the country in case he doesn't have enough oxygen on the flight, or the cabin loses pressure. I don't want to bring him to a hot country, in case he gets too hot and too sweaty causing him to dehydrate, which could cause his shunt to clot. I don't want to be in a country where I don't speak the language and he might have to go to hospital. All these things play on my mind. It's much safer to stay at home, a 5 minute drive from Crumlin Hospital. What can I say, I'm a little paranoid about his heart. I think I have a right to be though, in all fairness!!!

So, what can I say, I'm looking forward to having my little boy, all patched up and ready to fight the world. The sooner the operation, the sooner that can happen.

For the moment though, Cathal is just happy to bake cakes and play computer games.

hmmm, orange and apple pie!!

staying up late to help out on a raid in WoW