We made a very long road trip not long ago. 1200 miles long to be exact. While we are used to road trips with kids this was my first with a baby under one and exclusively breastfed. I must say it went way better than I expected. Traveling with your kids can be a blessing and sometimes needed for one reason or another. Whether it's summer vacation or heading home for the holidays, at some point you may find yourself in a car for a very long time with your breastfeeding baby. Breastfeeding on road trips can save you a lot of stress as cleaning bottles becomes a non-issue. Tips for Breastfeeding on Road Trips Pack lots of snacks when you … [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.
Breastfeeding and Paleo Diet (Part 1)
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Over the past year, I've done some foray into the world of Paleo-style eating. If you aren't familiar with "Paleo" or "Primal" lifestyle, a quick internet search will reveal that it's a philosophy of getting "back to our roots" by eating no grains and refined foods, and focusing on high-quality fruits and vegetables, meat, nuts, and seeds. The recommendations are based on studies and anecdotal evidence that these foods are best absorbed and processed for optimal health. There are as many interpretations of the Paleo Diet as there are eaters, some who also include raw or grass-fed organic dairy products. While I don't personally agree with … [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...]
Breastfeeding and Herpes – Are They Compatible?
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Congrats on your pregnancy! If you have herpes, you are probably worried about the possibility of your baby getting it during labor. You may also be wondering, “Can I breastfeed without making my child sick, or do I have to give my baby formula?” If you do not have herpes, this topic is still important because an estimated 20-25% of pregnant women have genital herpes. So, breastfeeding and herpes...are the two compatible? What is herpes? Herpes is an infection caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). Oral herpes causes cold sores around the mouth, and genital herpes affects the genital and anal area. Genital herpes is a sexually … [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...]
Zoloft and Breastfeeding: Are They Compatible?
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Before considering taking Zoloft and breastfeeding, a nursing mother may wonder if they are compatible. Will it be safe for the baby if the breastfeeding mother takes anti-depressants? Many mothers ask: Do I need an anti-depressant? Can I still take them and breastfeed my baby? Many breastfeeding mothers may find themselves in a situation where they are considering anti-depressants. Postpartum depression, anxiety, and mood disorders are all reasons that a mother may seek medical treatment. Most doctors will recommend that when the benefits to the mother's quality of life (and that of the family she is caring for) outweigh the risks … [Read more...]
Preparing for Baby Giveaway! ($1,700 in prizes)
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Welcome to the What to Due? Preparing for Baby #2 Giveaway! Hosted by Spit Up is the New Black I've teamed up with Ashley over at Spit Up is the New Black to celebrate the welcoming of baby #2! She's hand selected products for, and in preparation of, a second child, and has partnered with over a dozen amazing companies to offer one lucky reader over $1,700 worth of baby essentials! #DueWithBaby2 Prize Suite: Sarah Wells “Maddy” Breast Pump Bag Britax B-Agile Britax B-Safe $100 Gymboree Gift Card Naturepedic Organic Cotton Ultra 252 Seamless crib mattress guzzie+Guss G+G 401 Rock Boppy Custom Fit Total Body … [Read more...]
Tips For When You Need to Use a Nipple Shield
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I wish I knew back then what I know now about these amazing little nursing shields - this simple item saved our breastfeeding relationship! But first, a little history... My first baby was less than a day old and still hadn’t nursed for more than a few minutes. Since she was a large baby and I was overweight, she was having her blood sugar checked every couple of hours. It had dropped so the nurses said they recommended giving her a bottle. She sucked it down. It was a horrible moment to me to think I was failing my baby so quickly. It just seemed like she wasn’t able to get attached. The lactation consultant and nurses tried helping me … [Read more...]
Breastfeeding Awareness – Parenting Tips
Last week I shared why it's important for us to provide our children (even our teens) with the type of training that normalizes breastfeeding - you can read that post here. We want to prepare them to be comfortable with breastfeeding and breastfeeders. But I promised you some tips for how to do this, so here are breastfeeding awareness parenting tips - feel free to share with others so we can continue to normalize this beautiful aspect of mothering. Breastfeeding Awareness Parenting Tips Expose your children to breastfeeding mamas. Don’t shy away from them, and don't be embarrassed to be close by when a mom is nursing her baby. My … [Read more...]
Breastfeeding Awareness – Working with Young Adults
When I was birthing and nursing my youngest two, my husband was a pastor for young adults, just attending college or beginning their careers. As a mentor to the young women, I saw it as part of my calling to model natural parenting and to help cultivate "breastfeeding awareness" with them. So several of the girls were with us in the birthing room, and I never went away to nurse our babies. I was always discreet, but I also made it a point for breastfeeding to be a "normal" part of our family life, in which many of the young people we mentored became welcome regulars. I laughed one afternoon at a church praise team practice when a young man … [Read more...]
