To All Nursing Moms (almost wordless wednesday)

As most of you know, I breastfeed Baby Girl. And when I say breastfeed, I mean on demand. Whenever and wherever she is hungry. I've nursed while walking up and down the grocery store aisles, at the park while pushing Toddler on the swing, at the poolside while Mr. Smitty and Toddler play in the water, while filling out paperwork to purchase our truck... everywhere. And no one has ever said anything negative to me. But it really frustrates me that there are moms out there who are harassed about something as healthy and natural about feeding their child. 

So when I heard about one mom's experience in a Texas Target, I wished there was a Target nearby so I could participate in this mornings Target Nurse In. Unfortunately, I was not anywhere near a Target this morning, but a girlfriend and I were running errands at our local Lowes and right around 10 am, Baby Girl decided she was hungry. So as usual, I gave her what she needed and fed her right there in the flooring aisle as my friend was discussing her flooring options with the associate. As always, I was discrete and the associate didn't even bat an eyelash. While I wasn't actually in a Target Store, I was there in spirit!

I'm really glad I've never been subjected to judgmental, rude people, but I still feel for those moms who have been. Today I have a shout out for all those moms: you're not alone, you're amazing and keep on doing what you do best.. be a mom!

At the Zoo

At the local park

Picnicking with friends at a public park

Undercover Nursing Tank Top Giveaway {Mommy and Me Giveaway}

Mommy and Me Giveaways is giving away an Undercover Nursing Tank Top!

Enter HERE!

Ends June 14th!

Bravado Designs Sublime Nursing Bra Giveaway {Piece of Me}

Piece of Me is giving away a Bravado Designs Sublime Nursing Bra!

Enter HERE!

Ends May 10th!

Woman's Health: Breastfeeding Mamas

Alright, the Link Button isn't working, but this is part of the  

Breastfeeding Blog Hop hosted by Life With Levi, The Slacker Mom and Diary of a Devil Dog Wife

I don't pretend to know a whole lot about breastfeeding. My own experience is severely limited. However, I do read up on it a lot, and I recently joined my local La Leche League Chapter and loyaly attend meetings in anticipation of my second little one being born.

One thing I've learned from all the experienced mamas out there is that you have to take care of yourself! It's not just about the baby being fed, it's also about the supplier (that's mom!) being properly taken care of.

Some of the tips I've personally learned from previous experience:

1. Stay hydrated! And eat a healthy, well balanced diet. If you aren't getting the nutritional supply you need, your child won't be getting their needed nutritional supply either. Hydration was a big issue for me, I felt like a fish, constantly chugging water, juice, milk, tea, decaf coffee... anything and everything hydration.

2. The best way to keep your nipple and skin condition healthy is to express a little milk onto your nipple and spread it around with your fingers. Then, if possible, air dry! Walk around the house for 5 minutes without a top if you need to. If you're NIP-ing, keep baby close to your chest after unlatching for a minute so you have a little drying time before putting your breast away. Air drying is less irritating and it allows the milk you've expressed to 'settle' into the skin instead of being rubbed off.

Some of the tips I wish I had known about when I was BFing toddler:

1. To avoid cracked and dry nipples, you need a good latch. It's not about using a Lanolin product or washing with any specific soaps. Shallow latches are the main cause of cracked nipples and often, slippery products make it more difficult for baby to get a strong deep latch.

2. Don't use lotions or soaps on your chest! Wash with water. Easy to remember and easy to do. 

3. Warm heating pads help with soreness, as does a great ice pack. Try both to see what works best for you.

4. Make sure you invest in a great nursing bra (or 3)! Supportive, comfortable and easy to use are the three criteria I was told most matter. And wear it all the time, even overnights (although I'd suggest a wireless bra for nights, but that's just me).

Readers, do you have any more suggestions for me? I'm really nervous about establishing a good BFing relationship with my daughter when she's born!

Breastfeeding is Best!

I'm a breastfeeding advocate.

That being said, I didn't breastfeed my daughter. I tried to breastfeed her. I agonized over it. I cried and I became depressed about it.

All that anguish and the two of us only made it a 3 weeks breastfeeding.

And yet, it has only amped up my determination to breastfeed number two (who, I am now announcing, is due in APRIL!!)

So I wanted to give new mommies a few tips on breastfeeding, coming from someone who has been through the tough stuff.

#1. This is SOOO important! Talk to the lactation consultant at your hospital! Get to know her before you are in labor. Become comfortable with her (it's easier to be less shy when your girls are hanging out and you're struggling to get your new little one to latch if you aren't concerned about the girls hanging out.) Make sure you'll have support and help as soon as you have delivered your child. You'll want to start breastfeeding as soon as possible after delivery, so you should know the lactation consultant will be there when you need her!

#2. Be ready to try many different positions. Only you and your child will figure out what positions work best for the two of you. Trial and error is terrific, if you know what positions to try! (Cradle, Clutch, Side-lying & different variations.. start researching now, it'll be easier to try later!)

#3. Do your research! Start reading breastfeeding articles, Q&A's and online forums each week. Familiarize yourself with your resources, facts and knowledge now. You'll be more prepared later on!

#4. Remember, latch is everything! If your baby can't latch, he can't eat. It's that important. And latching ties into all above mentioned tips. You'll be more successful with latching if you enlist help (lactation consultant), find the position your infant latches easiest, and you've done your homework and know how to troubleshoot latching should it become an issue!




As for my choice to breastfeed, there are so many great reasons! It's healthiest for baby, benefits Mom and is very cost effective!

My child will benefit! Colostrum (the beginning milk that comes in for the first few days, yellowish in color) helps a newborn digest! It helps move all that sticky meconium out of the little one's digestive tract. The antibodies you pass on to your child help him fight off infection he'd otherwise have no resistance to.

I benefit! I don't waste time fixing a bottle, it's already a good temperature, I don't need to clean bottles and I don't feel nauseous smelling formula (seriously, that stuff smells and tastes toxic!) My uterus shrinks and heals faster (the body reacts quicker when your nipples are stimulated during nursing! Weird but true!) I'll have a head start on returning to my pre-pregnancy weight and build because breastfeeding burns calories! And lastly, I'll get all that bonding time with my new little one!

My family's finances benefit GREATLY!
Breastfeeding is a free food source. Have you done the math if you are thinking about formula feeding? With our daughter, we spent around and over $100 a month on formula! That's an extra $100 we could be paying off debit, saving or spending on other needs!

I invite you to visit The Breastfeeding is Best for All Babies event over at The Baby Store Plus Blog!

BumbleWee Nursing Wear (& link to Daily Giveaway!)

Wanted to share a great site for Nursing Wear!
"Nurse your wee one in style with BumbleWee Nursing Wear's great selection of Nursing Tops, Nursing Pajamas & Nursing Dresses from Majamas, Japanese Weekend, 1 in the Oven and other great nursing lines. "


They have a great selection of tops and dresses! I wanted to share a few of my favorites.



First we have the Anna-Jane Top by Mothers en Vogue. It's so femenine, which is one of the things I missed while breastfeeding. There isn't a more femenine mothering experience than breastfeedings, so why don't mothers have the opportunity to look the part? The Anna-Jane is perfect for a semi-formal outing with baby in-tow.










Next is the Havanna MAXI Dress by Mothers En Vogue. This is a perfect example of a breastfeedings mother's 'little black dress'. Simply put, I LOVE it!











Lastly today, I present the Cuff Sleeve Henley in Green. It's a great everyday, running errands and feeling good shirt.













Why am I showcasing a nursing-wear company when I am not myself breastfeeding at this time? I wanted to share the opportunity for a daily GIVEAWAY!
Everyday through the end of August, BumbleWee is giving away a nursing top! Go to their website and click on the big purple button 'Win a Free Nursing Top!' Enter daily for a chance to win every day! It only takes a minute and there are 14 more opportunities to win this month!