Laranda Colbert – Breastfeeding World http://breastfeedingworld.org Spreading the Breastfeeding Love, One Latch at a Time Wed, 17 Jun 2020 03:52:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8 https://i1.wp.com/breastfeedingworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/cropped-BFWorld_logo-16x16.png?fit=32%2C32 Laranda Colbert – Breastfeeding World http://breastfeedingworld.org 32 32 96133341 What Breastfeeding Taught Me http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/12/what-breastfeeding-taught-me/ http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/12/what-breastfeeding-taught-me/#respond Fri, 29 Dec 2017 13:00:09 +0000 http://breastfeedingworld.org/?p=7220 Have you seen the diaper commercial that compares the difference in how a mom behaves with the first child to how she is with the second child. With the first child, she has everything, including the kitchen sink, packed in the diaper bag and the stroller, then forgets to load the baby into the stroller. With the second child, she […]

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]]> Have you seen the diaper commercial that compares the difference in how a mom behaves with the first child to how she is with the second child. With the first child, she has everything, including the kitchen sink, packed in the diaper bag and the stroller, then forgets to load the baby into the stroller. With the second child, she has a logically sized diaper bag, wearing the baby, grabs her keys and calls for the toddler to follow her. When I first saw this commercial, I cried….from laughing hysterically! It was so relatable. Both of my younger, biological kiddos are weaned and have been for at least 2.5 years. I was reflecting on my breastfeeding experience with both of them and realized how similar, but also how very different they were.

Modesty was the Key…at first

With my firstborn, my son, I was afraid to nurse anywhere except the privacy of my own home or car…and sometimes, I felt the need to be in my bedroom. Okay, admittedly the bedroom thing was for more selfish reasons. I loved the opportunity to escape for a few moments of quiet and solitude with my baby. We couldn’t use a nursing cover because we had latch issues, so the overwhelming fear of being exposed led me to isolate myself. I would leave the room at family functions, at restaurants, in church, you name it, I went to hide. Though, I never went as far as to nurse in a bathroom. Towards the end of my son’s first year, I began to open up a bit. I was pro-breastfeeding and felt empowered that I was doing something that I felt so passionately about.

Fast forward to 21 months after my son’s birth, to the birth of my daughter

I had a few serious complications that made the first few days of breastfeeding nearly unbearable, but I was determined to succeed a second time. We needed a lot of help in the first few weeks post-partum and I didn’t care who saw what. Simply, I only cared that my daughter was nursing and getting what she needed. After I healed from the complications, I was left to tend to my 21 month old son, our then 10 year old and a newborn, while my husband worked. I found myself more confident in my choice to breastfeed, and would feed my little girl whenever she was hungry regardless of where I was. I nursed her while wearing her during shopping trips (oh the looks!). In the middle of a sermon at church, I nursed her. I nursed her while eating dinner at family gatherings. I carried my head high and was met with little verbal protest. Lots of funny and ugly looks, but I laughed at them. I still laugh!

Latch, Letdown and the Pain

My son had a tongue tie that made the first few weeks painful and challenging. The tongue tie was corrected, but, the pain did not disappear. I remember sitting in tears, thinking that I couldn’t do it any longer. I couldn’t take the pain, I was failing my son. Okay, let me be straight, if you cannot continue your breastfeeding journey for ANY reason,

YOU MOST CERTAINLY ARE NOT A FAILURE!

One of the Breastfeeding World bloggers wrote a beautiful article titled, “Motherhood: When Breastfeeding Doesn’t Work Out“. Go read it, then come back and finish this one.

Now that I’ve said that, it was an emotional battle for me. We used nipple shields and all sorts of things to try to make it better. In time, the pain subsided except the occasional letdown tingle.

When my daughter was born, I felt armed and prepared for the latching, the letdown tingle and the pain. Or so I thought. I did have a pretty good handle on the various positions for achieving a comfortable latch and the let down tingle wasn’t a shock to me, but the pain still came. This time, I knew that if I could power through, it would subside and it did. It took a little longer than with my son because of my daughter’s uncorrected lip tie. Sheesh, I learned to loathe the word “tie”.

Weaning

I didn’t have a specific amount of time that I wanted to nurse my son, so long as I made it beyond one year. When my son was 14 months old, I found out we were expecting another little bundle of joy. I tried super hard during the first few months of pregnancy to continue nursing my son, but my nipples were so sensitive and it turned into an unpleasant experience for us both. Weaning him was super hard and heartbreaking. But it had to be done.

When he weaned the world didn’t end

There was no meteor strike that destroyed hundreds and hundreds of miles of landscape and caused mass tragedy.

For round 2, I decided I didn’t want to wean until I had to, or she weaned herself. I remember the night she self weaned like it was yesterday. She was 12 months, 1 week old and she refused to nurse for her nighttime feeding. I was devastated and cried and whined. The world didn’t end then either. It was disappointing to be done, but also relieving to know that we had moved on to the next chapter in our story.

Baby Blues…or Post-partum depression

When I found out that I was expecting for the first time, I was taking an anti-depressant. I stopped immediately as I wanted to have as natural and chemical free of a pregnancy as possible. I managed fairly well emotionally through-out the pregnancy, and due to the chaos that was returning to work and pumping, the baby blues were not as strong.

After the birth of my daughter, I began to feel sad, mad and upset, ALL the time. I had horrible thoughts and said horrible things. At the time, I blamed it on situational stress since there was a lot going on in our home at that time. In hindsight and after hearing other testimonies, I believe I suffered from un-diagnosed and un-treated post-partum depression. It was a dark and scary time for me.

Since then, I have decided to verbalize my experience and help other moms that may also be struggling

Breastfeeding World has an amazing team of bloggers that have shared their experiences with post-partum depression. Head on over to the Blog and check out the variety of encouraging and helpful blogs by our diverse team of moms.

Have you found that nursing your second, third, fourth, etc child was different from your first? Comment below with how you experiences have been different! I can’t wait to hear your stories!

 

 

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]]> http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/12/what-breastfeeding-taught-me/feed/ 0 7220 Don’t Be A Lonely Stay-At-Home Parent This Holiday Season http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/12/dont-lonely-stay-home-parent-holiday-season/ http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/12/dont-lonely-stay-home-parent-holiday-season/#respond Fri, 22 Dec 2017 13:00:06 +0000 http://breastfeedingworld.org/?p=7380 Office holiday parties, silly holiday sock exchanges, catered lunches or breakfasts….and the list continues. These are the ‘luxuries’ that one half a single income parenting duo experiences during the holiday season. I am no stranger to the feelings of isolation, exclusion and plain envy that comes with being a stay-at-home parent. There was a time in my life where I […]

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]]> Office holiday parties, silly holiday sock exchanges, catered lunches or breakfasts….and the list continues. These are the ‘luxuries’ that one half a single income parenting duo experiences during the holiday season. I am no stranger to the feelings of isolation, exclusion and plain envy that comes with being a stay-at-home parent. There was a time in my life where I woke up, dressed up and paid my dues in the corporate world. I was respected and appreciated. I excelled in that type of environment. Now, as a stay-at-home mom, it is easy to feel lonely.

Just this week I learned of my husband receiving the honor of an invite to attend a formal meeting, dinner and a NFL game with one of his company’s largest vendors. My first thought was, “it must be nice” with a bitterness deep inside. That is most definitely not how I should approach the situation. My husband has worked hard to be where he is. He works hard so that I get to stay home and raise our babies. Once I had a chance to pause and begin my introspective evaluation, I decided that I am likely not the only one to feel this way. Below are some of the tips that I am trying myself, to overcome these feelings of isolation and loneliness.

It’s All About Perspective

Half full, or half empty?

The old adage, is the wine glass half full or half empty comes to mind. Ok, I may have added the wine part. Your cup may have water, or another more potent drink. By the way, you nursing moms don’t have to pump and dump this holiday season! Head on over to our blog to see the article with evidence that this is not necessary.

Any-who. I’m not saying any of this is easy. It is really taking some work for me to do this. My husband is a family man. He values time with his family over most anything else. As hard as it is for me to be home all the time without feeling like I have a purpose, it is equally hard for him to leave each day. He would love nothing more than to be at home with us. I have to make myself change this perspective. It is a blessing to be able to raise my babies and to be the one they run to when they have a boo-boo or friend troubles. I am shifting my attitude of bitterness into an attitude of gratitude.

Ask your partner to let you help

No, you cannot go to work for them, or go to their holiday party in their place, but you can be a part of the fun in purchasing the silly sock exchange items. You can bake goodies for him or her to take into the party, so that they have the opportunity to brag about how awesome you are. My husband has worked for the same company, and with the same people, for 5 years now. He comes home and tells me stories about the guys at the shop. While I don’t interact with his co-workers on a regular basis, I feel that I have a pretty good understanding of their personalities. I enjoy planning the gag gifts and jokes that will go into the socks for the office silly sock exchange. It’s kind of like living vicariously through my husband!

Create your own holiday party at home with your minis

The effort required to dress a small child for the outdoors in the winter can be exasperating. In the case of more than one, multiply that frustration, I mean effort, by the number of small children you have. As a result, I tend to become a home-body during the winter months. Plus, who wants everyone else’s germs? YUCK! Come up with a fun way for you and the kiddos to have a little holiday party together. This year, we will be making graham cracker houses, decorating cookies, singing and dancing to Christmas songs and who knows what other brilliant ideas I have yet to hatch. No, it is not the same as adult interaction, but it is so rewarding to watch their faces light up with joy as you do these fun things with them.

Have a ‘Friends-mas’

This last suggestion was admittedly taken from my 13-year-old daughter and her friends. Last year they had a sleepover, a small gift exchange and made some Christmas-y, crafty things. For us adults, a simple dinner out with friends with a white elephant gift exchange makes for a grand time. You stay-at-home dads can do a guys night watching sports or whatever you and your buddies like to do. It is healthy and essential for the stay-at-home parent to get a mental break and participate in adult conversation.

Therefore, we stay-at-home parents can make the holidays a fun time for ourselves too. I’m sure that there are many other ways to help ease the feelings of loneliness and disappointment that can sometimes come with being a stay-at-home parent. I would love to hear your ideas. Leave me a comment below with how you make the most of the holiday season!

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]]> http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/12/dont-lonely-stay-home-parent-holiday-season/feed/ 0 7380 These 10 Last Minute Halloween Costumes for Pregnant Mamas are Totally Winning http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/10/10-halloween-costumes-pregnant-slay/ http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/10/10-halloween-costumes-pregnant-slay/#respond Mon, 30 Oct 2017 13:00:08 +0000 http://breastfeedingworld.org/?p=7123 Here it is, Halloween, and you are expecting a wonderful bundle of joy. You are already finding that your daily wardrobe doesn’t fit. All you want to wear is leggings and a baggy shirt. Girl, I’ve been there….twice. I have compiled a list of 10 creative Halloween costumes that will make that beautiful baby bump the centerpiece of your Halloween […]

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]]> Here it is, Halloween, and you are expecting a wonderful bundle of joy. You are already finding that your daily wardrobe doesn’t fit. All you want to wear is leggings and a baggy shirt. Girl, I’ve been there….twice.

I have compiled a list of 10 creative Halloween costumes that will make that beautiful baby bump the centerpiece of your Halloween costume

1. Because your bundle of joy is sure to be sweet as can be, turn your belly into a gumball machine.

You need these halloween costumes for pregnant moms in your life, most of these look like awesome last minute costumes, therye totally perfect. Halloween for moms, mom costumes, pregnancy costume ideas, pregnant halloween, gumball halloween costume, gum, cute halloween costumes for pregnant moms, maternity costumes for halloween, halloween costume hacks, easy halloween costumes for prengancy, last minute halloween costumes for expectant mothers

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I have always loved this idea. It looks relatively simple, provided you have the patience and coordination to use a hot glue gun to apply these colorful pom poms one-by-one. You know what would be even cuter? If the dad-to-be could wear all black and attach an over–sized coin made of cardboard to himself!

2. “I Came In Like A Wrecking Ball” – Miley Cyrus hit song inspired costume.

You need these halloween costumes for pregnant moms in your life, most of these look like awesome last minute costumes, therye totally perfect. Halloween for moms, mom costumes, pregnancy costume ideas, pregnant halloween, gumball halloween costume, gum, cute halloween costumes for pregnant moms, maternity costumes for halloween, halloween costume hacks, easy halloween costumes for prengancy, last minute halloween costumes for expectant mothers, miley cyrus costume, miley cyrus halloween costume, wrecking ball halloween costume,

Instagram/@monbustam

I admittedly am not very familiar with this song beyond its title. When I saw this costume idea in Good Housekeeping’s Article, “23 Best Pregnant Halloween Costumes for 2017”, I thought it was adorable and SUPER simple to pull together! Black shirt with a hole, gray tank top underneath, long chain necklace and small doll.

3. Pick your mood!

You need these halloween costumes for pregnant moms in your life, most of these look like awesome last minute costumes, therye totally perfect. Halloween for moms, mom costumes, pregnancy costume ideas, pregnant halloween, gumball halloween costume, gum, cute halloween costumes for pregnant moms, maternity costumes for halloween, halloween costume hacks, easy halloween costumes for prengancy, last minute halloween costumes for expectant mothers, emoji costumes, emoji halloween costumes, breastfeeding world, laranda colbert

Brit.co

How about an emoji? They are so popular and EVERYWHERE now. I did a whole birthday party themed around emojis for my oldest’s 13th birthday this year. Another simple, minimal effort costume that you can totally customize to your mood that day, week or minute! Grab a black dress, preferably stretchy because, let’s be real, mama ain’t got time for all that tight fitted stuff, and some felt. Get to crafting your emoji and attach to your black dress! Idea courtesy of Good Housekeeping, 23 Best Pregnant Halloween Costumes for 2017

4. Oh Yeah!

You need these halloween costumes for pregnant moms in your life, most of these look like awesome last minute costumes, therye totally perfect. Halloween for moms, mom costumes, pregnancy costume ideas, pregnant halloween, gumball halloween costume, gum, cute halloween costumes for pregnant moms, maternity costumes for halloween, halloween costume hacks, easy halloween costumes for prengancy, last minute halloween costumes for expectant mothers, hilarious halloween costumes, hilarious pregnancy costumes, oh yea, kool aide costume,

Image Source Unknown

This one might take a little more effort than the previous ones, but as a 90’s kid, I LOVE this! I can’t help but say “Oh yeah!” in my best Macho Man Randy Savage voice…in my head. The Kool-aid man part should be simple, but crafting the broken wall may take some time. Some cardboard, paint and an exacto knife should get you on your way!

5. Of course I’m Prego!

You need these halloween costumes for pregnant moms in your life, most of these look like awesome last minute costumes, therye totally perfect. Halloween for moms, mom costumes, pregnancy costume ideas, pregnant halloween, gumball halloween costume, gum, cute halloween costumes for pregnant moms, maternity costumes for halloween, halloween costume hacks, easy halloween costumes for prengancy, last minute halloween costumes for expectant mothers, halloween costume puns, halloween pregnancy announcement, fall pregnancy announcment, prego, preggo

Vanessa.Welton/Instagram

I am a huge fan of witty puns and this one takes the cake! I have seen Preggo pasta sauce used as a pregnancy announcement, but as a costume it is epic! Red shirt, felt cut into veggie shapes and Prego label….ta da! Pure Wow posted their own list of costume ideas for pregnant women which is where I saw this.

Or try one of these other cute costume ideas…

Enjoy a darker side? Try one of these spooky costume ideas!

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]]> http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/10/10-halloween-costumes-pregnant-slay/feed/ 0 7123 What You Need To Know When You See a Teal Pumpkin http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/10/what-you-need-to-know-when-you-see-a-teal-pumpkin/ http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/10/what-you-need-to-know-when-you-see-a-teal-pumpkin/#respond Fri, 13 Oct 2017 13:00:23 +0000 http://breastfeedingworld.org/?p=6777 White, green, orange and maybe even yellow pumpkins, are found in just about any pumpkin patch, but have you ever seen a teal pumpkin? I have. Ok, not in a pumpkin patch, but definitely on store shelves. Many see the teal pumpkins and think, “that’s pretty”. But, there is far more behind the teal pumpkin than just a decorative element. […]

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]]> White, green, orange and maybe even yellow pumpkins, are found in just about any pumpkin patch, but have you ever seen a teal pumpkin? I have. Ok, not in a pumpkin patch, but definitely on store shelves. Many see the teal pumpkins and think, “that’s pretty”. But, there is far more behind the teal pumpkin than just a decorative element. Food Allergy Resource & Education, FARE, created the Teal Pumpkin Project® to “raise awareness of food allergies and promote inclusion of all trick-or-treaters through the Halloween season.”

What is the Teal Pumpkin Project®?

The idea behind the Teal Pumpkin Project® was actually conceived during an awareness activity hosted by the Food Allergy Community of East Tennessee. FARE launched the project as a national awareness campaign in 2014. It serves to promote inclusion of all trick-or-treaters in a way that makes it safe and still enjoyable. People who wish to participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project® display a teal pumpkin outside their door or hang a flyer or poster outside their home with the teal pumpkin logo. The display of a teal pumpkin indicates to trick-or-treaters that non-food treats are available.

Why should everyone know about this?

Halloween can be a scary, even life threatening, experience for those living with food allergies. And I don’t mean because of the ghosts, goblins and zombies that you will often encounter when you take your children trick-or-treating. Does anyone else get chills when they see the spooky creations others come up with? No? Ok, I’ll move on. When you have a child with food allergies, every knock on the door, every doorbell that is rang causes the parent to hold their breath.

My son has a peanut allergy. We cannot allow him to touch the wrappers of candy that contains peanuts since we have no way of knowing what level of exposure will result in anaphylaxis. When taking him trick-or-treating, I hover over his bag and watch what is given to him. Any candy contaminated with peanuts is quickly removed by myself or my husband and put into a separate bag that is later to be removed from our home. We have three children. Only one has an allergy, but we have to take any dangerous candy from all three children to dispose of it. That is three separate trick-or-treat bags that I am carefully watching simultaneously. Trick-or-treating for our family is a scary and exhausting process.

Here’s How You Can Help

It’s easy peasy lemon squeezy! FARE offers many free resources for advocating and educating on food allergies! You can paint a pumpkin teal and sit it outside your door or you can download a free poster from the FARE website to display outside your home! Teal is the color used to support food allergy awareness and has been used as such for over 20 years.

Just because you are supporting families with food allergies, does not mean you cannot continue to hand out candy. Just keep the candy and non-food treats in separate bowls! Guess what, the non-food treats can help other families of children that cannot have candy for a reason completely unrelated to food allergies! Win win!

Help! I have no idea what non-food treats to use!

Worry not my friend, I have compiled a list that will help you get some ideas. This list is not exhaustive, and I am sure there are many other options than what I have listed below, but this should give your brain the boost it needs to decide what is best for you! Hit up the local dollar store or wholesale distributor to get the most bang for your buck.

  • Glow sticks
  • Bracelets & Necklaces
  • Crayons, markers, pencils, erasers
  • Whistles, kazoos, noisemakers – the parents will totally love you for this!
  • Stickers
  • Mini-notepads
  • Vampire fangs
  • Cars
  • Bouncy balls
  • Finger puppets or other novelty items
  • Bookmarks
  • Puzzle books

There are many affordable options. One of my friends has even visited her local Goodwill to purchase miscellaneous trinket toys so that my kids have something other than candy to choose from! You should have seen the two youngest. They were thrilled!

“The TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT and the Teal Pumpkin Image are trademarks of Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE).”

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]]> http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/10/what-you-need-to-know-when-you-see-a-teal-pumpkin/feed/ 0 6777 My Child Has A Food Allergy, And Yes, You Should Care http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/10/food-allergies-kids/ http://breastfeedingworld.org/2017/10/food-allergies-kids/#comments Mon, 02 Oct 2017 13:00:36 +0000 http://breastfeedingworld.org/?p=6711 “Why should I care about their food allergies?”   “Seriously, my daughter only likes peanut butter and jelly. What is she supposed to eat if the school is a Peanut/Tree Nut Free place?”   “Can’t they just sit at a different table or something?”   “Why should we have to suffer because they can’t have it?”   Et cetera, et […]

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]]> “Why should I care about their food allergies?”
 
“Seriously, my daughter only likes peanut butter and jelly. What is she supposed to eat if the school is a Peanut/Tree Nut Free place?”
 
“Can’t they just sit at a different table or something?”
 
“Why should we have to suffer because they can’t have it?”
 
Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera…
 
How many of these comments have you made? Have you heard them from other parents in your child’s schools? I would put money on the table betting you can name at least one person, maybe even yourself, that has uttered a phrase similar to the ones above. My focus for this article will be primarily peanut allergies, as that is what is most near and dear to my family. However, I would like to say up front, an anaphylactic reaction can occur with ANY food allergy. Dairy? Yep. Soy? You bet! Peanut? Of course! Tree nut (which by the way is COMPLETELY different from a peanut)? Yes, yes, yes. Shoot, breathing in pet dander or mold spores can cause anaphylactic shock.
What is a food allergy?
A food allergy is far more than a dislike for a certain item. It is truly life or death for the individual suffering from the food allergy. Just some science for those unaware. Anaphylaxis is the reaction by the body that causes the release, no, the flood of chemicals into the body as a defense. The reaction can happen within seconds to minutes after exposure. The body identifies the allergen as an enemy, and therefore begins attempting to annihilate the enemy.
 
A person experiencing anaphylaxis will experience a sudden blood pressure drop and narrowing of airways, causing difficulty breathing. Symptoms can include, but most definitely are not limited to rapid, weak pulse, visible hives or rash and nausea and vomiting. When left untreated, anaphylaxis can cause loss of consciousness and death. The only treatment for anaphylaxis is an emergency injection of epinephrine and a trip to the ER for further observation or administration of steroids, etc.
My knowledge comes from personal experience
How do I know this? Well, anyone, if so inclined, can Google it. However, in my case, I watched my then 1-year-old son, go through an anaphylactic episode after being handed a small amount of peanut butter on a cracker. I have EMT training and knew all of the right things to do, but that was my baby! He was given an oral anti-histamine, epinephrine and steroid breathing treatments. I watched as he gasped for air. He laid his head on my chest and I felt him struggle to breath. I am writing this through tears, because in that moment, I didn’t know if he would live.
 
That began a long painful journey of repetitive appointments to the allergist. Blood draws that required me to hold him still. My heart has ached and more tears have flooded my face from this experience than any other in my life. A food allergy is LIFE OR DEATH!
Kids in Public School with Food Allergies
I was inspired to write this after reading a post by a horrified mother in a Facebook group, specifically for parents of children with food allergies. I will paraphrase and omit names for privacy. This woman’s middle school aged daughter was in the first few days of school and called home in tears. Some students had decided to smear peanut butter and peanut butter crackers in her backpack “to see if she would really die.” These children are 12 – 13 years old, and they were experimenting with death. Ya’ll, that ain’t cool!
 
There were numerous comments encouraging her and wishing her daughter the best. I was overwhelmed at the sheer number of other similar instances posted in the comments. A kindergartener was chased with peanut butter sandwiches because she was identified as having an allergy on the first day of school. In this article by the Washington Post, “Bullies use a small but powerful weapon to torment allergic kids: Peanuts”, a fifth grader with a severe peanut allergy had peanuts thrown at him during lunch.
 
A Michigan college student was bullied with peanut butter, when his fraternity decided to smear peanut butter on his face as a hazing stunt at the beginning of 2017. In this article by SnackSafely, Food Allergy Bullying Leads to Death of 13 Year Old Boy, Arrest of Another, one 13-year-old boy flicked a piece of cheese into another 13-year-old boy’s mouth. The result? Anaphylaxis, followed by 12 days in ICU and ultimately, the loss of life.
How do I handle schooling and food allergies?
There has been some opposition and judgmental glares because we are choosing to home-school our youngest children. The initial reason being all of the intense situations you just read about. One local school system is a peanut/tree nut free environment, that sits all children with a peanut allergy at a specific table. I know of at least 1 person that sends their child with peanut butter every day despite the call to avoid it. By alienating them, they are putting a HUGE label over their head and providing ammunition for bullying. I have learned to be responsible for my son’s environment instead of trusting others to have compassion.
 
Another local school system serves peanut butter and jelly to those with no lunch money, therefore contaminating the entire school. Any surface that a child with peanut butter on his or her hands touches, is now a potential death trap for my son. We have since felt that homeschooling is better for our littles than public school for many reasons beyond the food allergy issue.
 
One day, when my son can be in control of his environment, I will slowly begin to loosen my grip. For now, I will watch every interaction he has. Be at every. single. event. he participates in. I will be the barrier that takes the unpleasant comments and judgement regarding my son’s food allergy.
What can you do?
1) Stop judging! We are all parents doing our very best for our children. What may be best for my family, isn’t necessarily best for yours. You know what? That’s okay! It’s more than okay. That’s the way that it should be!
 
2) Please teach your children to be compassionate. Please educate them on food allergies so that they can be aware of the people around them. As Ellen DeGeneres always says, “Be kind to one another.” After all, that is what we should be doing anyhow right?

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