Flu Shots For Everyone!

MacBaby and I both have a cold (his first), which only amplifies my constant fear of swine flu hitting the MacFamily household.

This article states that pregnant women are at greater risk of the flu and can suffer greater consequences. I'm a big fan of flu shots and I can also attest that pregnant women are likelier to get sicker than their non-pregnant counterparts. Last winter, I had a series of ailments that you do not want details about.

In summary, I and MacBaby will be getting flu/swine flu shots if/when available. And, wash your hands people!

Around the Web

• China potentially revisiting it's one child policy
• Researching premie births
• Gay adoption
• A husband walks a mile in his wife's pregnant shoes (filled with swollen feet?)
• A sippy cup comparison
• Old moms
• More on 16 and Pregnant

16 and Pregnant for your Viewing Pleasure

On Thursday night, I watched the season finale of 16 and Pregnant on MTV hosted by Dr. Drew Pinsky. I haven't seen every minute of each episode, but I got the gist of the series and was intrigued enough to check in on these girls who became moms at an early age.

Controversy exists over the series and whether or not it glorifies teen pregnancy. I felt like MTV portrayed the challenges and rewards honestly. The season finale, though, I thought was would have been more subtle only if Dr. Drew had a sledgehammer and to hit audience members over the head with while screaming, "don't have unprotected sex!"He clearly had an agenda to communicate.

Dr. Drew wanted the moms to admit that they made a mistake and regret getting pregnant and having a kid. While I'm sure these moms do think about how their lives have changed, their repentance would only negate the presence of their children.

I think the fifteen year olds in the audience, and those watching from home, are discerning enough to realize that having a child as a teenager will seriously complicate your life. Enough with making the girls cry. I would have been all for him slapping Farrah's mom, though.

The whole presentation of the finale was totally wanabee twee. Why did they have to steal The Flight of the Conchords music? I find it strange that they refer to those featured on the show as the "cast," like they auditioned for the part. It's not a cast! They're real people! This isn't The Hills!

Dr. Drew revealed there would be a season two. This, I approach skeptically. Since the show garnered a large audience, I hope that teenage girls aren't trying to get pregnant just to be on MTV. While I said earlier that teenagers can be discerning, they can also be calculating and publicity-crazed.

Finally, I wish that the people who adopted Catelynn's baby would have adopted her and Tyler too.

More on Breastfeeding

The debate over breast versus bottle rages at the New York Times. The caption for the illustration cracks me up.

My New Favorite Parenting Site Speaks the Truth

This dude is hilarious. I commend him for pointing out the one negative part of breastfeeding:

Unlike the absurdly judgmental authors of just about every baby book lying around the flat, I really have no opinion when it comes to breast vs. bottle feeding. However when I hear the "F" word, all my selfish instincts tell me one thing: the breast is better. The breast means I get to sleep most of the night.

When I say negative, I mean negative for me. Thank you, new dad, for admitting the truth. Dads love the breastfeeding because it absolves them from feeding responsibilities! The most uttered phrase from MacDad after MacBaby was born was "I think he's hungry." Sometimes this was true, sometimes not. Now, it's even less of an excuse since he's on more of a schedule for eating (every three hours).

While I didn't mind being solely responsible for feeding MacBaby during the day, after 10 p.m. it sucked. Once MacDad went back to work, the rational part of my brain said, "let him sleep, he has to get up in the morning." But, it is very hard to maintain this attitude at three a.m. while your spouse is snoring and you are staring at the clock watching one o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock come and go.

Fortunately, our (my) sleep schedule has improved, and but I haven't more than four hours in a row since March 22, 2009. On the plus side, I haven't witnessed a sunrise in several months.

A friend suggested I would miss those quiet morning, listening to the birds begin to chirp and staring at my child wondering if he would ever fall back to sleep. I do not. Instead, I relish the time we have now, sleeping and cuddling side by side.

Proof That I'm Not Crazy

The MacFamily Unit has two dogs. They used to roam the house freely, sometimes even sleeping in the bed with us (much to my chagrin).

Lately, they've been spending their time in the basement and in the back yard (they have a doggie door).

Here's why. This dog stole a baby from its crib and took it for a ride in the backyard. While I'm sure neither of our dogs would be this astute, from the first night in the hospital, I had nightmares about such incidents.

It's nice to know that I'm not making up that dogs could conceivably harm newborns.

Need Formula Because You're Physically Incapable of Breastfeeding? The Gov Says Bah.

This article in Newsweek is interesting and timely, since the MacFamily Unit just set up our fexible spending account for the first time. The IRS refuses to add formula to the list of approved expenditures, even for a woman who had a double mascetomy and is physicall incabable of breastfeeding.

To recap: ovulation predictor kits - ok. The necessary-for-survival food with which you'll feed the eventual result of the ovulation predictor kit - not ok.

If you find this information unsettling, let your local Representative know.