Tanya

My nearly 5 yr old has had a fever since Thursday afternoon. It seems to come and go, sometimes on it's own, sometimes with the help of a bath, popsicles, or acetaminophen (sometimes all of the above - she's allergic to ibuprophen). She is pretty congested, "my brain is full of boogies" is her phrase of choice.

My dilema is that my husband just switched jobs. She's normally such a healthy kid, we've always had insurance, and the one time we have to go 3 weeks w/out medial coverage - she gets sick!!! Usually her fevers last a day or two, and go away... this is the longest duration of time w/ a fever in her life... I'm suspecting a sinus infection by the level of congestion and length of fever.

It sucks that money is a factor here, but it is!

Should I take her to the hospital, try to call her pediatrician and ask for a favor, go to a CareNow clinic? I'm taking her somewhere tomorrow, but just not sure where... any suggestions???

Ok, a question that just got deleted sparked my interest... how many breastfeeding mothers are aware of your local law? Do you live in a State/Province that has strong legislation protecting breastfeeding? Are there loopholes that private businesses can sneak through and get you kicked out of a location?

I know my state's law (Texas), it's crappy, it needs some revamping - but I know it! I even carry a "LICENSE TO BREASTFEED IN PUBLIC" double sided business card... here's what it looks like: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/wichd/bf/pdf/13-06-108...

Any on this list of the 50 US states you think could be worded better? http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/breast50.htm#t

eating the placenta? Anyone done it, researched it? I've heard of it, but never looked into the benefits.

yes... I plan on looking it up myself, but was curious to see if anyone here had done it or looked into it and already had some links they could share.

anyone interested in a recipe, stir fry placenta over penne: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ceBxQSRLrg

AND ..... YES, THIS IS A SERIOUS QUESTION!!!

people do this, I have not, but am curious about it just for the sake of knowing.

OK... this is mostly for the experienced breastfeeding moms out there.

Have you ever used any of the breastmilk recipes online?

Like the ones for use in regular kitchen cooking, for the whole family, not just to mix baby's oatmeal with. I saw one for alfredo sauce, one to make your own cottage cheese, one funny one was for a cocktail - a white Russian!!! Then there are the soaps and stuff too.

please .... all the immature and breastfeeding ignorant people, keep your comments to yourself... I'm asking a serious question here! I don't care if you think it's gross or wierd or whatever.

If you have used breastmilk for something other than feeding your baby/toddler/preschooler or the usual ear infection, pink eye, diaper rash cure - please share your experience.

Does anyone have a picture of that breastfeeding contraption that Robert DeNiro had for his grandson??? Can anyone link me to one? I'm coming up empty handed!

Thanks

prosthetic contraption worn by Robert DeNiro in "Meet the Fockers." Not the actual thing, lol, not looking to purchase it... but just a picture of it for a picture file I'm compiling. Just need to add a bit of humor!!

Does anyone have a copy of the pic? Or can you link me to one? Thanks.

OK... this may sound stupid, or sick, but it's not just me - several other people have mentioned the same thing.... in my real life and in online parenting forums...

shows like "Boohbah" and now Nick Jr's "Yo Gabba Gabba," there are others, but just those as examples.... the shapes of some of the characters is too wierd... not enough like made up creatures or aliens and more like something you'd buy at a Passion Party.

especially "Muno"

http://www.kidrobot.com/images/promo/2007/11_novem...

surely they can come up w something else... this yo gabba show could have just cut that one character and been fine!

has children's media just run out of shapes? do you let your kids watch shows that have stuff that's a little too wierd like that?

seems like there are a lot of them, always some, but more lately... any connection? or is it just baby season? LOL

I think it's great either way... I'm just curious.

for stem cell research??? Sounds like a neat idea!

"The Perth scientist who made the world-first discovery that human breast milk contains stem cells is confident that within five years scientists will be harvesting them to research treatment for conditions as far-reaching as spinal injuries, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. " http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20081102-16879...

I'm sure most would while currently lactating, but would anyone go out of their way to relactate? or induce lactation for the cause?

OK... today at a playgroup at someone's house, my 4 year old took a toy. She had tried to take a toy egg while the group was in clean up mode, but I caught her - not making a big deal, just saying "we can't take stuff that isn't ours, put it back and help your friend's finish cleaning up."

So we get in the car to leave, and she seems off. Sneaky more like it, I just knew she'd done something, but didn't have any proof, so I just gave her 100 chances to fess up. Asking "you seem like something happened, is everything ok? you seem like you did something sneaky, did anything happen?" I didn't want to accuse, but man was my gut telling me she'd stolen a toy!!!

She even had a phone call w/ daddy, he asked her, even told her that she would not get in trouble if she was honest with us, and told us the truth now, but that if she lied about it she'd be in big trouble later. She stuck to her guns. Stubborn little kid I have!

So finally, I get tired of being nice and said....

I frequent this baby/newborn section the most, so I'm asking here... but on people's answers, when they list a link to something... it's not blue anymore and I'm having to copy/paste it into my address bar instead of just clicking it!

Is it something permanent? or just a system hiccup that should be fixed soon? I can't find an answer anywhere else!

:) Thanks!

What are the best locations for a woman in her 30s to get a tatoo that would not alter too much over time? I'm concerned with gravity, wrinkling and such. I am NOT finished having children if that matters. It's a very emotional tatoo and I don't really care about showing it off... it's for me, it's not for artistic reasons, or expression of something, so a "hidden" location is optimal but not mandatory... it's a memorial tatoo for my deceased daughter, her birth month flower - an African violet.

I just don't want an ugly purple blob when I'm 80 years old and the nursing home thinks I have a bruise.

particulary a young baby (to SIDS, neonatal death, prematurity, still births and the like); how do you mark your child's birthday or "angel day," if it is on the same day especially? How long has it been?

For me it will be 7 years tomorrow. Daughter born and died an hour later, neonatal death due to prematurity. My medical condition, not hers caused her early arrival. I do have a 4 yr old now, we'll be going to the cemetary to put out some balloons and a cupcake like we did last year at my 4 yr old's request.

I'm just curious how other parents celebrate, remember, memorialize, etc... on birthdays and angel days with subsequent children.

They were called "kebab." It was sort of a flat bread sandwich. Seemed like it was the same type of meat you get on a Gyro you can get here in the States, but it's not exactly the same, nor the same toppings, defenitely NOT on pita bread. My husband remembers getting them from a Turkish restaurant. I really miss them!!

Anyone know of an equivalent? Or how to make them, or where I can get one in the Dallas, TX area?

I have a 15 week old Shih Tzu. We picked up a box of Iams Puppy Biscuits to use as rewards for peeing and pooping in outside. They're kind of big, so I've broken them up and he roughly gets 1/4 of a biscuit each time we take him out and he goes. He's on Purina Pro Plan (because that's what the breeder was already giving him), has food and water available all day, and was pooping fine. A couple of days after getting the Iam's biscuits I'm noticing his turds are much harder and there have been several occassions where he's been "crying" when he's trying to poop, seems like he assumes the poop position and can't get it out - he'll bark and scream and run a few feet, stop get in position and do it all over again. It's taking him 5-10 minutes to get the poop out!! But it does not happen every time he goes - he just went on the living room floor w/ no problem!!!

Nix the treats, maybe a different kind? Some other constipation remedy I should look into?

Any ideas???

I have a Shih Tzu puppy and a 4 1/2 yr old. We've made a huge point for her not to share her food with the dog, but I'm looking for a list of foods that are very dangerous that I need to tell my daughter are "poison" for the dog.

I know of chocolate, and the breeder told us that pork is a bad food for dogs too - that was a new one for me.

OK... I know plenty about breastfeeding... but I have a friend who's having a baby on Friday, scheduled C - not a VBAC candidate (she has had various uterine surgeries, including a partial removal of her uterus and a previous C), anyway she's only 36 weeks along. She's also very large breasted and w/ a baby so tiny coming, she's very nervous. She is already very educated on nursing, currently nurses her toddler and I don't think she's going to have any problems, but she's looking for "ammo" incase the hospital is less than helpful when it comes to her nursing.

She's looking for stuff to print maybe a book to buy.

I've already loaded her with Kellymom and LLL stuff... anyone else have any good articles, websites, or something I can send her "loaded" with to the hospital.

If you had a 14 month old who got plenty of breastmilk still, but was having SOME cow's milk... as a beverage (3-4 oz, 2-3 times daily)... would you make sure it was full fat whole milk?

I know all about toddlers having whole milk - please don't go there ... this is different - he won't be weaning anytime soon, he's tandem nursed w/ his big sister, so really the "need" for cow's milk is not there, but when giving him some is a lower fat milk (1%) something you'd too too? (lol, I guess I just answered my own question, but still - what are your thoughts?)

you and your spouse in an intimate situation?

It's late at night, the child sleeps through the night in her own room, just happens to need some help with her pajamas for a midnight potty break.

This has NOT happened, but I had a dream a few nights ago and now I'm paranoid at every sound I hear and locking our bedroom door when we're being intimate... which I guess is what we should be doing anyway, but we've always left our bedroom doors open. She's 4 yrs old.

If this has happened to you, what did say to your child (and what was his/her age)?