When you are a first time mom, there are so many things that you just don't fully understand or things that you simply do not know because you are new to all things parenthood. Many of these things will come to you naturally. Your maternal instincts will kick in and you will just follow them intuitively. Others will come because you have great examples to model--your mother, grandmother, friends, sisters. Sometimes despite all of this, you still may need or want a group of like-minded women to help you along the way. Sometimes you may find yourself with little support due to differing parenting ideals, lack of family nearby, or a … [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.
Pregnancy, Breast Milk, and Supply: 5 Things You Should Know
When you are expecting, your mind will be filled with all sorts of questions and thoughts, especially if you are a first time mom. One of the things that you may not know much about is breastfeeding and how pregnancy, breast milk, and milk supply operate with one another. If you are not a first time mom, but you are pregnant and still have a nursing child, you may also have unanswered questions about how to continue your nursing relationship. This simple guide should fill you in on the basics and give you an outline of what you can expect while you are expecting. Your breasts begin preparing for lactation as soon as you … [Read more...]
10 Breastfeeding Pillow Options for the Nursing Mama
I am currently nursing my fourth child. He is 13 months old, full of energy, and still breastfeeding like a champ. Throughout the years, I've come to fine tune my nursing regime, so to speak. I know what works and what doesn't and I have always said that my breastfeeding pillow was my top favorite nursing accessory. I've used mine with every child and for extended periods of time. I will be sad when I no longer need one because I have weaned my last nursling. I thought it would be helpful to expecting mamas to compile a list of the available options for nursing pillows. You have a great variety of choices and you really can't go wrong … [Read more...]
Breastfeeding Jaundice: Keeping Your Nursing Relationship Intact
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When a woman has a baby, it’s both a miraculous and overwhelming event. Suddenly you have a precious little bundle of joy that is completely dependent upon you for survival. They are so precious, tiny, and vulnerable. Breastfeeding Jaundice: Keeping Your Nursing Relationship Intact A new mother has a seemingly endless list of concerns upon her baby’s arrival, especially if it is her first child. She can easily become inundated with the information available when an issue arises. Some women get so overwhelmed that they begin to tune out their own instincts and blindly follow any advice offered to them, even when their gut tells them that … [Read more...]
How to Wean Baby Off Breast: Tackling Night Weaning
I have nursed four babies into toddler-hood and as much as I love and advocate for breastfeeding, night weaning is still my least favorite (and slightly dreaded) part of nursing. I've never really been preoccupied with how to wean baby off breast during the day because it was never disruptive to our life or routine for my children to take a few minutes to cuddle up with their nursies for nourishment or comfort. At night, it wasn't bothersome until my children were nearing their second birthday and still waking multiple times or wanting to remain attached to my breast throughout the duration of the night. Going so long with inadequate sleep … [Read more...]
Breastfeeding in Picture Books: 20 Children’s Books that Depict Nursing Mothers
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One of the best things we can do for our children as nursing mothers is to normalize the breastfeeding relationship to them. When they don't bat an eye at a baby at the breast, then we've successfully taught them that feeding babies is normal, natural and nothing to gawk at or criticize. I don't think we need to go to extremes to do this, but we should be conscientious in some matters. When my oldest child was younger, I made an observation that whenever a baby was being fed in any of her books, it was always drinking from a bottle. She noticed this as well. She knew that she and her baby brother had been breastfed. Bottles were the thing … [Read more...]
Stages of Weaning: Introducing Solid Food
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So you realize that your baby isn't a newborn any longer and you feel as if they are ready to take the next step in feeding--solids. There are several stages of weaning and while the introduction of solid food doesn't mean you will no longer be nursing, it is the first step towards your child gaining nutrition from sources other than Mommy's milk. If you've never gone through this stage before, you might be unsure of how to begin or what to do. There is a vast amount of information out there when it comes to this topic. Everyone seems to have an opinion or advice and it can certainly become overwhelming. Well-meaning friends and families … [Read more...]
Breastfeeding and Postpartum Depression
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Having a baby is supposed to be a time filled with joy and wonder. It's supposed to be overflowing with happiness and giddy new parent smiling. But what if it isn't? What if you feel a deep-seated sadness? What if your baby blues aren't going away? What if you feel frustrated because you know how you are supposed to feel, but your actual feelings are quite different? What if you're breastfeeding and postpartum depression begins to creep in? I've been there. Three times, in fact. Postpartum depression is a heavy burden to bear and it can be very overwhelming without the proper attention and care. There's a stigma and a guilt that … [Read more...]
Breastfeeding and Older Siblings: How to Handle Questions and Curiosity
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Once you have more than one child, you will find yourself in situations where you will have to nurse your baby in front of his/her sibling(s). When that time comes, your child(ren) may have questions concerning breastfeeding and if you've never dealt with these before, they may make you feel a little uncomfortable or nervous. I've now had four children and answered innocent questions for each of my three oldest when a new baby joined our family. From having my oldest daughter at the age of two declare to a room full of people, "Brover eats boobers!" to dealing with my current three year old exclaiming that our newest son got his nursies by … [Read more...]
Common Breastfeeding Problems: Biting While Teething
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Breastfeeding is a beautiful act that encourages bonding, provides the best nutrition, and supplies comfort to a small child who depends on his mother to care for his every need. This doesn't mean that it is without its disadvantages. One of the more common breastfeeding problems occurs when baby begins to teethe: biting. Many people believe that it is at this point that a woman should begin to wean her child. After all, who really wants to be bitten in such a sensitive area? It hurts! However, there are some things that you can do to discourage and prevent your child from chomping down on your breasts so that you don't have to give up … [Read more...]
