We conceived our first baby four months before we meant to. Obviously, four months won't make much of a difference in the scope of our lives, but it did throw us into a bit of an adventure 8.5 years ago! My husband was in graduate school and working two jobs. I had an entry-level job with an entry-level paycheck. Neither of us had insurance that covered pregnancy, and we DID have quite a bit of debt in the form of student loans and a car payment. We'd been married a year, and we had been tracking our fertility for 9 months to avoid pregnancy until we had more stable finances. We took a chance one month - and that chance's name is now … [Read more...]
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Disclaimer: The information in this post is for educational purposes only. I am not a doctor. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. None of the opinions are meant to diagnose or treat any disease or illness. You should always consult your healthcare provider.
Anjanette Barr is wife to a librarian and mom of four living in Juneau, Alaska and loving the life God has blessed her with. Her days are filled with lots of silly antics and laughter, mountains of laundry, and more love than she could ever hope for or deserve. She blogs at AnjanetteBarr.com. Find her also on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
The Benefits of Ecological Breastfeeding for Child Spacing
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Conception and child spacing are frustrations for nearly every woman I know. It doesn't matter where they are in their journey toward (or away from) motherhood. I'm so thankful that coming across the idea of "ecological breastfeeding" a decade ago dispelled some of the anxiety of my childbearing years! When I became fed up with hormonal contraceptives and decided to track my cycles and use Fertility Awareness instead, my brain immediately calculated for the most extreme scenario. Roughly 24 years of fertility left, with a baby born every two years = 12 BABIES! Oh my! That's assuming I had no multiples, miscarriages, or children … [Read more...]
Myth Busters: Nipples Need to be “Toughened Up” Before Birth for Breastfeeding
It's shocking to me to hear that doctors and well-meaning relatives still sometimes recommend doing specific things to toughen or rough up nipples before birth to prepare for breastfeeding! Not only is that not evidence-based medical advice, it has potential to be harmful. Myth Busters: Nipples Need to be Toughened Up Before Birth for Breastfeeding Your grandmother or mother may have told you that it's best practice to rub your nipples with a wash cloth to get them used to the friction they will be experiencing. People sometimes suggest that it's helpful for building up callouses. Or it might acclimate the sensitive tissue. However, … [Read more...]
It’s OK to Bottle Feed Around Me: Encouragement from a Breastfeeding Advocate
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Is it possible that in our current culture moms feel just as wary to bottle feed in public as they do to breastfeed? I lead a local breastfeeding support group. I'm not a certified lactation consultant or counselor, so our group is strictly for peer support. Still, I'm a mother of four breastfed children, and the combined wisdom of all the moms attending often leaves us feeling stuffed full of new knowledge and encouragement at the end of a meeting. A few months ago, a new mama attended who hadn't been able yet to successfully latch and transfer milk to her baby without the help of an SNS or bottle. She had struggled through a month … [Read more...]
What Exactly is “Breastsleeping?”
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There is no such thing as infant sleep, there is no such thing as breastfeeding, there is only breastsleeping. Have you ever hesitated to answer for a moment when asked whether baby is sleeping through the night? Or whether you co-sleep or use a crib? Do you worry that you'll have to explain or justify your nighttime parenting style? It's no secret that bed sharing (also called co-sleeping) is a controversial topic. Sleep decisions are often made stressful by the official recommendations of organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics which forbid any kind of same-surface sleep with infants, and the contradictory cultural customs … [Read more...]
Q & A With a Breastfeeding Mom of TEN!
Heather, mother of ten children, is a personal friend of mine who is inspiring in many, many ways. One of them is that she has taken the time to nurse each of her children for their first year of life! I asked her if she could share some of her wisdom with us and she graciously agreed. 1. Thank you so much for agreeing to answer a few questions to give us insight into what it’s like to be a breastfeeding mom of ten! Can we start with you telling us a bit about yourself and your journey through motherhood? I’m honored to be invited to share a bit about myself and my story, Anjanette. I guess I would be considered an “older, … [Read more...]
Breastfeeding and Weight Loss Questions Answered
Breastfeeding and weight loss - what is the best way to lose weight while breastfeeding? And how long will it take? It's difficult to avoid social pressure to lose your baby weight in "x" amount of time. How many times have you seen grocery store line tabloids ranting about how so and so has a baby bump and MUST be expecting even though they are only a few months postpartum? It didn't even take 5 months for the rumor mill to start penning headlines about the Duchess of Cambridge's lithe figure betraying the growth of a new little one!! It may come as a shock to them, but sometimes it takes a bit for that weight to come off - even with … [Read more...]
Maria Lactans: Breastfeeding in Christian Art
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With the Christmas season upon us, we have everywhere visual reminders of the humility of our Savior - that He would become human! And a helpless babe! Born of a woman to be nurtured and protected by earthly parents! And as we celebrate His birth by displaying nativity scenes in our homes and making baby Jesus crafts with our children, I am reminded that there is something only slightly less miraculous than the Virgin Birth to be celebrated here - life itself. Precious new life so full of wonder and promise, generously given to us by our Creator to steward. It's in this spirit that I want to take time to marvel at the beautiful … [Read more...]
5 Signs That Your Care Provider Does Not Support Breastfeeding
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In a perfect world, all medical care providers would be most concerned with what is best for mother and baby in their particular circumstances. They would offer objective advice and evidence-based research. Compassion and kindness would be icing on the cake, and par for the course. Worrying that your care provider does not support breastfeeding would not even be a concern! Unfortunately, we all have our biases. Doctors (and nurses, and midwives, etc), like all the rest of us, sometimes let their personal experiences and opinions inform their priorities when deciding how to counsel a patient. Your care provider may be a wonderful source of … [Read more...]
Changes in Breast Milk During Pregnancy: Production & Composition
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Breast milk production is controlled by hormones during pregnancy - rather than supply & demand - regardless of whether or not you are already nursing a little one when you become pregnant. This hormonal influence is what is responsible for changes in the production and composition of breast milk during pregnancy, and what makes nursing while pregnant different than nursing in other stages of life. The Influence of Progesterone Progesterone and estrogen are some of the hormones that increase to sustain a pregnancy and help the developing baby grow. However, an increase in these hormones also suppresses milk secretion. Some women find … [Read more...]
