Child led weaning: what does it look like? Does the experience make you feel happy, sad, is it bittersweet, or freeing? The truth is, it is all of those things. Child led weaning is an intimate experience fraught with a wide range of emotions typically charged with a mixture of waning hormones, a rapidly growing independence that is blossoming from your child and the relationship between the two of you morphing into a completely new story. I want to tell you one of my children's stories. I want you to know what it meant to me, doing this child led weaning and allowing her to stop when she said it was time. I gave birth to 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.
This is moi: breastfeeding, birthing, butt-kicking, Jesus loving, woman of God, who happens to be married to a hot Coastie and has four fabulous mammy-hackers. I'm a "boobie doc" and birth junkie(aka lactation counselor and birth doula) and have no plans on weaning, ever. As in, I am thinking college might not be quite long enough for my youngest to gain full independence.
The Quick Guide To Weaning Baby Off Formula
It's been three days since your baby's relatively uncomplicated delivery. Your nipples are extremely sore, bleeding and cracked. But, the nurses at the hospital told you it was fine. You notice your baby isn't stooling much, but figure maybe he is just taking his time. When you go to your one week checkup, your baby is not gaining any weight. In fact your baby has lost over 10%. The doctor might say, "He needs a bit of supplemental formula, in order to gain weight." You go obediently to the store and purchase the formula your doctor recommends and begin the supplementation plan in which you and your doctor feel comfortable, aided by your … [Read more...]
Ethics and Breastfeeding: A Match Made in Heaven?
When I first put those two words together, "ethics and breastfeeding", my brain felt as if it were moving through sludge. Have you ever contemplated something and, perhaps due to lack of sleep, boredom or just sheer mental exhaustion, cannot seem to fathom its meaning? This could be as simple as trying to define the word "the". Go ahead and try, you will get stumped too. Ethics and Breastfeeding - Defined But, really folks, these two words are quite entangled and not always for the better. Let's start by defining each word. Thank you Google for being my dictionary this evening: Ethics is defined as "moral principles that govern a … [Read more...]
Breastfeeding Pumps: Which Ones Suck The Most?
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Having trouble deciding which of the breastfeeding pumps are right for you? Let's take a good luck at what is available and see if we can narrow down the options and explain each type in better detail. There are two types of breast pumps: manual and electric. A manual breast pump is one that requires the use of your hands, and good old elbow grease. Although I can say that it does not require large amounts of force and strength in order to use manual breast pumps. Electric breast pumps, however, are operated by utilizing a plug or a battery of sorts. Which one you purchase depends highly on one major factor: why you are needing it in … [Read more...]
Do I Have Enough Breast Milk? 5 Signs That You Do!
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It's certain that one of the first things most breastfeeding mothers are concerned about is whether or not that precious baby of theirs is really plumping up on mama's milk alone. I mean, it's completely understandable to be concerned about this since our breasts are not transparent, nor do they come with tiny amount markers on each one to let us know how much baby is taking in each feeding. But, is there a way to really know for sure how your baby is faring? If you're curious about whether or not you have enough breast milk for you little one, I'm here to say that you can absolutely know if your baby is thriving by looking at a few key … [Read more...]
Know Your Public Breastfeeding Rights: A Tale of One Mother’s Brush With the Law
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There are times in our lives when we feel the need to stand up for ourselves, for our children, and for the children around us. Breastfeeding rights is one of those. Breastfeeding in public has been a heated issue in the news. Lately, scheduled nurse-ins at restaurants or clothing stores have occurred, due to some manager with a need to enforce ludicrous rules that are not baby friendly—and certainly not in the best interest of the mother. Never mind that they are unlawful to begin with! Here's a phrase I have mentioned countless times to the mothers I have worked with: "You need to know your breastfeeding rights. In most states, you are … [Read more...]
My Boobs Do What? 5 Little Known Breastfeeding Facts
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We all know how great breastfeeding is, right? It's probably one of the most amazing gifts God has given mothers to put in our mothering tool belt. But, what if I told you that your amazing milk-producing glandular tissue was capable of even more wonderful feats than you previously imagined? No, they cannot clean the kitchen for you, or play taps, but they are certainly magnificent! What if you learned a fact that was a game changer for you? If you are on the fence about whether or not to breastfeed, then pull up a chair, drink a glass of bubbly and set a while with me. If breastfeeding feels like a no-brainer for you; well, this article … [Read more...]
Criticism of Breastfeeding: When Others are Uncomfortable
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It's a lovely day at the park. Kids are screaming with joy, iconic fathers tossing baseballs to their sons, strollers are buzzing by, ladies nodding politely at each other as they kick those last few pounds of baby-weight in the rear, and there is a mother sitting under a tree on a park bench watching her young son in the sandbox. Her four-year old is happily building the world's tallest skyscraper utilizing branches, rocks and a few stray leaves. She smiles contentedly for a moment. Her quiet reflection is interrupted by a tiny squeak in her infant carrier. The little one inside has woken up from her nap and is alerting mom, "It's time … [Read more...]
I’ll Be Here For You: Hope For The New Nursing Mom
“I don’t think I can do this.” “My baby is hungry all of the time!” “My mom is right; formula might be a better choice.” How many moms in our culture have you heard say things like this? Nine years ago I had high hopes of breastfeeding my son. My mother had breastfed, so I assumed I would be able to. But, when I was confronted with a host of difficulties rare to the majority of breastfeeding mothers consisting of tongue and lip tie, IGT, failure to thrive, and quite honestly the most “unsupportive support”, our breastfeeding relationship did not last. In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, where the focus is on Breastfeeding … [Read more...]
