Yep, you heard me. A second one.

See, about a week after his first surgery, I noticed the tiniest of grooves on the other side of his mouth in relatively the same spot as the last one. I kept an eye on it and it seemed to be getting bigger so I brought him to the local dentist. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see Dr. W and ended up seeing a different dentist who didn’t have the best bed side manner but did know her stuff. She immediately referred us to Dr. P (formerly known as Dr. P², since the original Dr. P is out of the picture).

So Tuesday, we trekked up to Newnan and stayed in a hotel (graciously provided by my in-laws) where we watched Hell’s Kitchen, The Nanny and otherwise enjoyed a short break from home. Since Noah couldn’t have anything to eat or drink after midnight for the procedure the next morning, we were trying to avoid having to drive him up to Newnan while hungry AND tired AND fussy. Noah did relatively well that night, sleeping a solid six hours without wanting to nurse, which is pretty unusual for him. I did pump him full of squash and applesauce before I brushed his teeth and gave him a good nursing and I hope it helped. Whatever did it, he slept through and we got him to the clinic.

When we got there, we waited a good thirty minutes before they got us to the back where one of the dental assistants tried to tell me that a predisposition to cavities just couldn’t be genetic and that it HAD to be the breastmilk that was causing Noah’s teeth to get cavities. While I can say that he doesn’t need to nurse all night or all day long without having his teeth brushed, I can’t say I agree that I should suddenly switch to cow’s milk because someone without a dental degree says so. She also couldn’t get through to her head which tooth had the issue and kept asking if the “filling” (his crown) came out, so I’m sure you can imagine why I am skeptical of anything she had to say to me.

Anyway, when Dr. P saw his teeth, she confirmed that he had two brand new cavities. Thankfully they were pretty small since we had caught them so early (score one for vigilant mommy, finally!) and said he didn’t need the Versed to be sedated for the procedure (so we starved our kid for 8 1/2 hours because…?). Not that I want to put anything into Noah’s body that is unnecessary so we were thankful – at first.

She swore that the papoose board would be the best choice, as it would take longer with Joshua holding him (squirmy) so I went against all of my natural gut instincts, personal fears and intelligent thought and agreed to try it that way. What I didn’t know, until they had already started, was that they weren’t going to give my little baby boy ANY numbing medicine whatsoever! Both fillings were done within five minutes or I would have raised far more hell but I will tell you, I will never. ever. ever subject my son to that again. Parents that are reading this and are debating on using the papoose board on a toddler without sedatives or pain medicine – DON’T! It’s traumatic for the parents and it isn’t easy even for our resilient toddlers who scream for five minutes while a stranger puts them through pain (necessary procedure or not). Since Noah is so young, I don’t expect him to remember any of it and after a nap he was back to his normal, sunny self but I can’t forget the way he was sobbing in my arms after I yanked him out of that stupid papoose board. And I mean yanked – as soon as they scooted back and said they were done, I was ripping the velcro apart and scooping him into my arms.

I trust Dr. P as far as knowing her stuff. I know she did a good job and this visit was a huge contrast with the other one, where he needed a tooth extraction and a crown. With that one (I’ve already written this much so I may as well keep going), we went to Newnan the night before, where Noah woke up every two hours wanting to nurse. I think he fell asleep on the hotel floor three times and I would promptly move him to the bed. That was a fine night…not.

That time they got him in within two minutes, weighed him and then gave him a carefully measured dose of Versed. Within twenty minutes, he was giggling and snuggly and trying to play with his car and ball but not really able to grip well. Within forty-five minutes of being given the dose, he was about to fall asleep and actually did so in the assistant’s arms as we were made to leave the room. They extracted his tooth (I need to get a picture of this posted, actually – yes, I kept the tooth) and put a crown on the tooth next to it to prevent any cavities or weakness. He woke up screaming for mommy (mostly because he was around strangers) and immediately went to nurse. Within a few hours he was back to normal and within 48 hours he was mostly healed up. It was nerve-wracking for me but not traumatic for any of us in the least.

So, you know, two entirely different experiences and I can say that I preferred the first one, though I preferred the lack of severity of the second (fillings versus extraction). I’m not entirely thrilled with Dr. P’s practice anymore but since we’re leaving, I don’t think it will be an issue. The reason has a lot to do with how she handled the fillings but also that, though she claims she is a “big proponent of breastfeeding”, she did everything she could do get me to wean Noah. First it was about night-weaning. Then it was about weaning during the day. Then it was about sippy cups (we’ve told her he’s already using sippy cups and have done for a year now but she insinuated we must not be).

Her dental assistants also don’t know that breastfeeding is a clear liquid and actually cautioned me against breastfeeding Noah after the first procedure because “dairy would mess up his tummy”. Mind you, I don’t expect dentists to know an excessive amount about breastfeeding but I do expect a pediatric dentist to at least be aware of the current recommendations by the AAP and WHO, as well as the basics in regards to the infants in their care (clear liquids, not dairy, etc).

Maybe my mama bear side has just come out and I’m protective of my son. It’s also no secret that I’m a lactivist at heart…but I just can’t understand why someone would choose to work with infants and young children and not take the time to learn simple facts about other important areas of their health. Maybe I’m wrong to expect that much…but I don’t think so.

Whatever the case may be, I’m just happy Noah is happy and healthy.

I rarely do meta tags or keywords but since this entry may help other parents, I am.
Keywords: toddler teeth, versed, sedation, dental work, pediatric dentistry, papoose board, breastmilk, breastfeeding, sippy cups, cavities, fillings, crowns, weaning, grooves in baby teeth

They had a big aquarium in their waiting room, which was Noah-approved.

The office wasn’t really set up for kids, as Dr. P also takes adult patients (in fact, I believe he primarily takes adult patients) so there weren’t any toys or anything to keep him occupied. I brought a few but because they weren’t brand new, they didn’t hold Noah’s attention long when he could otherwise be exploring! So that’s what he did.

He’s such a ham, really. It’s impossible to be bored around Noah. Not only does he run you ragged but he also thinks making you laugh is hilarious…so he tries (and succeeds) to do so as much as possible. Have I mentioned that I’m blessed?

Anyway, Dr. P came out into the waiting room to speak to us before heading to the back. I actually really appreciated this, as it gave us a chance to talk before Noah was a squirmy little bugger (I think he does this because most kids fuss and scream when they get back there). He did ask us why we were there, in case it was just a case of Paranoid Parent Syndrome, but when I told him Dr. Z recommended that we get Noah seen ASAP and that his tooth was already chipping/crumbling, he nodded and brought us to the back. Of course, Noah wanted to be led to the room by none other than his pretty new friend (ie: the dental assistant), where he continued to flirt with her.

(Don’t you think these two are the handsomest boys around? Because I do.)

Unfortunately, when we got down to business, Dr. P pointed out that Noah not only had a huge cavity and some major decay on the top right tooth (his left), it had spread a little to his three other top teeth. Thankfully, he thinks those are salvageable, especially if Noah is fed no sugar (fruit is okay) and sticks to just water and milk. The fourth tooth, the one that’s been chipping and has been the source of my worry for all these weeks, is probably not. He isn’t entirely sure if the entire tooth has to come out or if it needs to be worked on, and he won’t know until the day of the surgery.

Yup, surgery. You heard me. Well, it’s surgery because he’s being put under anesthesia, where Dr. P is going to attempt to clean and discern what all needs to be done and then do it (with our permission, of course). We have a pre-op to attend with Dr. Z and with the hospital but I really like our local hospital (wonderful maternity ward, seriously) so I am confident that this should go smoothly.

I feel terrible. Even though I brush his teeth and avoid sugar and try to do everything “right”, something still went wrong. I still gave Noah my bad teeth (it’s thought that he may have my weak enamel). *sigh* If it isn’t one thing, it’s another.

Beating myself up isn’t going to help though. All I can do is cut sugar out of his diet, make sure he eats healthy and brush his teeth. Dr. P told me that to save my own teeth, I probably need to cut sugar out of my diet – especially soda. *gulps* I know he has a point. I see his point. I don’t like his point…but I am going to do it anyway. If not for me and the fact that I don’t want to lose half of my teeth by my 25th birthday (which is getting closer and closer…yikes), then for Noah, because the cavity causing bacteria can easily get transferred from me to him (or from Joshua to Noah or Joshua to me to Noah or what have you).

It’s a good thing we’re trying to be healthy anyway, right? Right? And smoothies are made of fruit, so they’re okay…right?

Bleh.

All in all, I think I like Dr. P. He only made mama bear come out once and that was when he seemed completely clueless that people nurse their kids until the age of 2. (What would he have said if I told him about the ones that nurse until 3 or 4 or even 5, I wonder?) I think I surprised him a little when I said the World Health Organization, American Academy of Pediatrics and Dr. Z all think 2 is an excellent weaning minimum. I also flat out said that 2 was my ultimate goal and I would do my best to get there. He seemed to relax when I said that we are focusing on trying to nightwean (for multiple reasons – his teeth and my sanity are neck-in-neck for first place right now) because that’s when the milk pools in Noah’s mouth, causing the rot. (I realize there are naysayers about this but when you have my genetically bad teeth, this is a valid issue.) I did really appreciate how Dr. P was willing to teach me about teeth and growth and milestones as opposed to just telling me what was good for right now.

So, we’ll see how this goes. I pray to God, for Noah’s sake, that this is a relatively easy fix. I hope we can save his teeth for the long run. I hope he doesn’t have my issues. I hope we can raise him healthy.
And I hope this week stops continuing in the same pattern and just gets better already.

Yesterday was just…busy. So was today, because the trip is 2 days away (does Thursday count?) and we’ve still got tons to do. Today, Sarah and I went grocery shopping for the road trip and so that she would have food to eat while she apartment-sat. Noah went with us, of course, and he did…okay, but it was a lot easier and a lot better once he fell asleep in the mei tai. I saved $74 in coupons and sales! That made me feel pretty good. I think we’re pretty set for the driving portion of our trip, minus a few things like ice and deli meat. I also discovered a new addiction to Quakes Rice Snacks by Quaker. These things are dangerous but so delicious. Kettle Korn is my favorite so far.

I don’t think I could have done today without Sarah’s help. Not only do I not know her taste buds but she is so invaluable when it comes to Noah. She’s patient, hard-working, kind and incredibly understanding. It’s no wonder that Noah loves his YaYa so much. If I could, I’d bribe her to go to every single one of my grocery trips…

She even loaded the car up today while I ran inside with Noah to fix a coupon mishap. Then she watched Noah for a few minutes as I ran back inside to find his ball, because apparently, when he was pointing at what I thought was pretty flowers, he was pointing at the ball he had watched bounce away. This ball, by the way, is not just any ball. It’s his favorite ball – blue and textured and bouncy…but that’s not what makes it special. What makes it special is that Daddy bought that ball and gave it to him and he will carry it everywhere. So it’s needless to say that as soon as I realized it was missing, I frantically ran back into Kroger to find it. I even called Joshua on the phone, crying about the stupid ball and just as I was about to give up my search, I spotted it hiding behind a flower pot.

That damn ball.

Anyway, about Sarah. She is wonderful and she does really well with Noah and again, I am going to have to find a way to bribe her to go to every one of my grocery trips. I’m going to be super sad when she moves away. (I wonder if I can cling to her leg and make her stay…or if Noah can. I need to teach him how to guilt trip people but then it would totally backfire on me so maybe not.)

Noah even likes her sunglasses.

Oh! I wore Noah on my back today. I don’t do it very often because even in the mei tai, he’s simply too heavy for my back (28 pounds – he’s a over a fourth of my weight) but it was really fun and Noah loved it. He thinks it’s a novel idea to be on my back…I remember the first time I put him on there, we were both giggling at the mirror because it was just so silly but we loved it. We always love it. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t wear Noah…I can tell that our time is coming to an end and it saddens me because I want to get so much more use out of my mei tai and there is nothing – nothing – like wearing your child next to your heart. Not even pregnancy, because when you’re pregnant, you don’t get to share the experience in quite the same way. I just can’t explain it; I’m terrible with words.

Two days!

However, I’m not going to write about that tonight. I’m not going to describe the delicious BBQ chicken we had for dinner or the movie we watched. I’m just going to rant.

There is a reason I practice Attachment Parenting. I might complain and whine and vent about how crazy Noah makes me when he’s all “MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY” *cling* but the truth is, I love how close we are. I firmly believe that by giving him a secure foundation as a baby/young child, he will grow up to be a strong, independent adult. My mother practiced Attachment Parenting with me, though she didn’t call it that (I think she just called it “mothering” or “being a parent” – what a novel concept.) and I’ve always been fairly independent. Whatever “issues” I have stem from my parent’s divorce and subsequent bickering…usually on my father’s part, God rest his soul. Because of my own experiences, I hope that by passing on the mother/child (or father/child, as Joshua has an equally important role in Noah’s upbringing as I do) bond to my son, he will have the same confidence when he is older.

One of the most important aspects of AP is to provide “consistent loving care.” What this means is mostly open to interpretation – every parent is going to parent differently, even those under the same umbrella. For me, it means that I respond to my son when he needs me. As a baby, I didn’t let him cry anywhere but in someone’s arms (usually mine). I wore him when we went out so that he would feel the comforting warmth of my body and be securely wrapped in a sling, like he was in the womb. Even now, I carry him when I’m exhausted and my arms are burning because he wants me to. I don’t think he’s manipulating me or that he’s being spoiled…if he wants something he can’t have, I say no and I put it away. Sometimes he’ll throw a fit and that’s okay. It is never, EVER, okay for him to throw a fit because he wants to be held and someone won’t hold him. I get angry when I see a child crying that obviously just wants a kiss and a cuddle but Caregiver is too “busy” or “can’t be bothered.” I hate hearing “oh they’ll be fine” when a toddler wants to be held. They are just babies, really…not three or four year-olds that have learned to self soothe, can walk and even articulate what they are feeling. Why should I, as a mother, deny my child the comfort of my arms? For that matter, I expect the same of anyone that watches Noah…and as far as I know, his Nana and YaYa (so far, Noah’s only sitters) abide by this. Joshua certainly does.

Not that we’re perfect. If I am frustrated enough, I will sometimes put Noah in his playroom, which is completely safe, and walk away for a minute. I will leave him in the seat of the grocery basket for a few extra minutes if he fusses at me because it gets us through the grocery list faster and that means we can just go home and get him in bed. I even let him have independent play! A lot of it! Because he enjoys it!

But I never, ever, let him scream and cry for his mama or dada if I can help it because right now is just so important. Some people argue that if something does happen to Mom or Dad, then all of this “security” is worthless. However, I don’t think so. As long as I am on this earth, Noah will always have me. If I’m not on this earth, that situation changes – obviously – but there is no need to prepare him for the latter until he gets older. Just like I don’t live every day in constant fear that I will die, I don’t raise my son to worry that I won’t be around…because I am. Does that make sense?

I don’t judge people for their parenting choices. I don’t really care if someone formula feeds, but I’ll gently encourage a new mother to breastfeed. I don’t really care if you cloth diaper or use disposables (though I’ll show you how cute a cloth diaper can be!). I don’t even care if you feed your kid a month or two early…though I might tell you about open gut first (just in case). I do, however, feel strongly about being there for your child. Responding to them. They might be learning tricks to manipulate you but it isn’t going to be because they want to be held – that’s just called communication.

Now excuse me while I go snuggle my son who is asleep on my arm and watch Hell’s Kitchen.

I love babywearing. It is one of my favorite parts of parenting – holding my baby close to me without wearing out my arms or my back. There are many types of slings: pouches, soft-structured carriers, wraps, mei tais…the list goes on. However, I truly believe that one of the best ways to get into it is a ring sling. Ring slings as a whole have a short learning curve and there are tons of tutorials on the internet on how to thread/use one, and there are a multitude of carries you can do (tummy-to-tummy, hip, back, cradle, etc.) without too much trouble.

I spent a lot of my pregnancy looking up carriers. I searched product reviews, read blogs, and lurked on TBW constantly. The conclusion I kept coming to was that I wanted to try a Maya Wrap sling, and oh am I so so glad I did.

It was great! The sling was made of a wonderful fabric that felt sturdy and supportive for my son, who was born at a whopping 9 pounds 8 ounces, and I used it comfortably until he was 4 months old (20 or so pounds). I could have used it for longer with ease, and only sold it because I’m a short, petite gal and the Medium size left me with a tail at my calves. *weeps* A small, on the other hand, would have been perfect. I’d gotten a Medium so my (tall) husband could use it too.

Maya Wrap’s colorgrown cotton is a natural, amazing shade that went with everything I wore. The rings they use are sturdy – not once did I ever feel like my son’s safety was in jeopardy. The lightly padded shoulder was great for a beginner like me, because it helped me adjust to a one-shouldered carry (which can seem quite daunting, especially for those with bigger kidlets).

The only downside to this sling was that I couldn’t fit it in my smaller diaper bag. I had to carry around a tote specifically for it, which isn’t really bad because every hard working carrier deserves its own special home. ;-)

Oh, and I can’t forget the pocket that Maya Wrap includes on the tail. This pocket holds keys, diapers, cell phones, wipes…whatever you need to take for a short (or long) walk. It saved me from having to lug around a diaper bag on occasion, which I was definitely grateful for.

If you are considering carrying your baby, do! And if you are considering a ring sling but don’t want to invest too much money for a quality sling, definitely give Maya Wrap a shot. I highly doubt you’ll regret it.