Great TV (2): Coupling

There were only ever thirty or so episodes of this British show, but that kept the idea from getting worn out like a lot of sitcoms. This show talks about sex a lot, but it's not really sexy, mostly just hilarious. I found this show to be very unpredictable, and each episode was well-written and packed with humor. If you're looking for something so funny it makes your stress just melt away, this is the show for you.

Coupling sample

Bottle Hate

So, I have been breastfeeding my baby for four and a half months now, and he will sometimes take a bottle (from me or someone else) and sometimes raise such a sustained fuss, for thirty minutes or more, with lots of screaming and tears until he either passes out from exhaustion or gets breastfed.

Nothing has worked for us as a surefire cure for this problem, but what does work sometimes is holding him in a different position than usual for feeding, with his face up against and looking outwards from the person who is feeding him, or feeding him by a spoon or creating a thin cereal to feed him by a spoon in my absence. Hopefully he outgrows this soon or we discover some sort of miracle cure (I doubt there is one).

Great TV (1): Xena: Warrior Princess

With the end of Battlestar Galactica this weekend, I'm inspired to start listing what I feel are some of the best television series of all time. I'll only nominate shows that have reached their end (so that I know the series won't jump the shark in the next year). I have really varied tastes, so these might be all over the map, but here's my first nominee for "Great TV"---Xena: Warrior Princess.

So it's campy, with cheesy effects, sappy lines, and often ridiculous costumes. But that's why I love it! This show is just so much fun to watch and surprisingly well-written and well-acted. It reminds me of reading adventure stories as a kid. The episodes vary a lot between drama and comedy. With this terrible economy, this series is definitely a feel-good indulgent treat, so if you're looking for something to watch, give it a chance!

Clogged or Plugged Milk Ducts

I was so sick of burning hot heating pads, scalding showers, painful massages, forcing my baby to nurse every ninety minutes, and performing amazing acrobatics to get my baby to nurse with his chin pointing towards my face.

I had my first child four months ago, and I've suffered through a problem I'm sure other women have also--frequently clogged milk ducts. After about six weeks of breastfeeding, I started developing clogged ducts twice a week. They were so painful and so much work to unclog. I couldn't even stop breastfeeding because my breasts would engorge and clog anyway.

But there is hope! I've gone two weeks now without clogging, and here's how:

Cut back dairy to only a few servings a day!

Like other women with this problem, I was over-producing a thick milk, but cutting back on dairy made my milk thinner with fewer minerals. I am free from the constant heating, massaging, and declogging, and have more time to actually take care of my baby and have fun! To other women out there with this problem, I am so sorry this is happening to you but hopefully this tip will help you out!