Kristina Garcia

www.twomomsand.com/

The post An Inspirational Hypnobabies Birth appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Kristina Garcia

www.twomomsand.com/

The post My Faja and I: A Postpartum Wrapping Tradition appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

I knew I wanted to breastfeed

And, to breastfeed exclusively. But, I gave little thought to the timeline. I would have said a year, because that is what tends to be the socially acceptable timeframe in our society…and I had yet to be enlightened about extended breastfeeding.

Actor Ryan Gosling September 1, 2003

Fast forward three and a half years, and this momma bear was still going strong and actively breastfeeding. It wasn’t planned, but just happened naturally.  A year came and went, then two years. By that time, it was my intention to let him decide when he was ready for our breastfeeding journey to come to an end. I had seen close mom friends do the same with much success and was going to leave it up to him. It just felt right to let him make that call.

Then life happened

Not long before his third birthday, I fell ill and only got sicker and sicker as time went by.  Before I knew it, a major surgery was on the horizon. My heart was breaking. Such a beautiful and special time in our lives, as mother and son, would be abruptly ending whether either of us was ready. This was not the ending I had planned or that I wanted. Yet it was unavoidable.

I nursed him up until the morning of my surgery. We talked at length about the whats, whys and everything in between. He knew it was coming. But, he was sad. He wasn’t ready either. Leaving him that morning, I thought that our journey was at its end and that we had closed the book on this chapter in our lives ever.  Yet, after surgery and recovery, we continued on for almost two more months, until my health and the medications would just no longer allow it. The last time wasn’t anything special or big, yet I don’t think I will ever forget it.

When I look back on how our journey ended, it reminds me of his birth

While I didn’t have a concrete birth plan, how he came was so very unexpected and unplanned. I wanted and planned on him coming when he was ready, and on his terms. Yet my body had other ideas. You know what they say about the best-laid plans….

He nursed for longer than most littles in our society. We had, had an amazing run in the breastfeeding department.  While I knew I shouldn’t, I still felt guilty.  I had to learn to give myself some grace.  I had given him so much throughout our time breastfeeding, and how it ended wouldn’t and didn’t take anything away from that.

Three and a quarter years. Thirty-eight months. One-thousand-one-hundred-and-eighty days

I will cherish every moment forever…no matter how or why it ended. From the first time he nursed to the last, every moment was special and every moment belonged to just him and I.

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Allyson Lux

I am a single mom to the most amazing little boy in the entire world. He is the light of my life! We also have the two sweetest doggies who complete our little family. I am a high school teacher and a photographer, and am very passionate about breastfeeding, babywearing, attachment parenting, and raising my son in the most natural way possible!

www.myluxphotography.wix.com/home

The post The End appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

As we arrived at the park on October 15th, I knew that it would be an emotional, beautiful and love-filled day. But, I did not expect the strength and the immediate bond between everyone there. It was incredible to watch, as each mother stood together, how interwoven they each were. They were bound together in an indescribable way. It was the most beautiful thing I could ever witness. 

Each mother was different, each story was different, every experience was different, and yet something felt the same. As they looked at their rainbow children, the beautiful little lights of hope, you could see all of the love among them. You could feel their angels there with us, watching over them. And, you could see on the face of every mother, that they were always carrying their precious babies; even when the world wasn’t. 

Mini Sessions with each of our mommas

We wanted each and every mom to have a special experience on this day. To remember and honor their babies gone too soon and acknowledge the special place their rainbow baby has in their hearts. 

As they came together….

Everything about this shoot was natural and beautiful. Bound together in loss, love and motherhood, each mom radiated an incredible strength that I deeply admire.

October 15th ~ Remembrance Day

As the day of remembrance, we participated in the wave of light together. We went around and spoke each baby’s name or due date. In the darkness, we sat, looking into each glowing light, remembering the lives that each flickering candle represented. We, at Breastfeeding World, are honored to be able to participate in something so incredibly moving. 

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank each of the wonderful mothers who offered their time, their stories and their hearts to us on this day. It means the world to be able to share this with our community and to honor your children and all of the children gone too soon. I would also like to thank Kim from Kim Max Photography for donating her time and talent to our shoot. Finally, Te-Ana Souffrant of Gem2Gen Doula services, who provided us the guidance and space to speak about loss openly and honestly. It was so wonderful to have all of you. 

I also would like to show appreciate to the following small businesses who generously donated their beautiful work for our moms and their families to use as props:

Mova-Light Maternity for the beautiful Dresses

Laura Costarella, Blue Stone Sky for the Rainbow Gauze

Jena Glasgow, Lilac Blossom Boutique for the Rainbow Maternity Sash

Jen at The Ritzy Rose for the Rainbow Baby Sign

Amanda Stinnet, Pretty Girl Bow Shop for the Felt Flower Headbands

Annie Edwards, My Little Itch, Rainbow Bow Tie 

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts and be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag

#BreastfeedingWorld

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Samantha Sykula

Born and raised in NY, I studied speech and language pathology at NYU. I am a stay at home mom to two beautiful children, Richard and Charlotte and wife to my wonderful husband, Rich. I have always had a deep love for learning, which has grown further since becoming a mother, I am always looking for new ways to enrich our lives. Becoming a mother changed my life, I learned compassion, caring and most importantly, true love. I hope to share the experiences of my breastfeeding, cloth diapering, babywearing, crocheting, full of love, life.

The post New York City’s Rainbow Photo Shoot with Kim Max Photography appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

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.

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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.

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!

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!

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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!

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…

• Winnie the Pooh w/ Honey Pot (Popsugar)
• Sunny Side up egg where your bump is the yolk (Popsugar)
• Bump Ahead

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

• Unicorns are all the rage. Here is a unicorn baby in utero costume idea!
• Let me out!

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts and be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag

#BreastfeedingWorld

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Laranda Colbert

The post These 10 Last Minute Halloween Costumes for Pregnant Mamas are Totally Winning appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

I know loss

I know the stabbing, breathtaking, panicking feeling of realizing your baby is gone. I’ve had the racing thoughts. The denial. Hoping to be able to wake yourself up from a terrifying dream. I have held my lifeless child in my hands. I have studied her tiny features. Turning off my phone so no one could reach me, I remember I couldn’t stand one more text message from someone saying they were sorry. I didn’t want to hear anyone’s sympathy.

All I wanted was my baby back

I felt as if something was stolen from me. Ripped out of my arms without my consent and I was left with my empty hands, reaching out needing to grasp something, anything that made sense.

Two pink lines

Lets talk about those two pink lines. Sometimes you pray for them, sometimes they surprise you, and sometimes they are terrifying. I have experienced all three! But nonetheless, when you see them, you become a mom. You see a new life, with a new spirit. Immediately, you imagine every possibility with this new beating heart. It is yours. You created sacred life within you.

Cells are multiplying, blood is flowing, and a tiny heart forms and beats life into an actual human! Your heart beats so fast you can hear it in your ears. Your hand subconciously touches your tummy and a slight smile brushes your mouth because you are going to be a mother. All as you find yourself looking harder to make sure those two pink lines are really there.

Can this be real?

Miracle, seems like an insufficient word for such an astounding series of events. Those two pink lines will change your life forever with just a glance. Is it a boy or a girl? You see yourself holding your newborn, first steps, first day of school, big hugs and tears consoled. It’s all right there, in those pink lines. It is important to understand these emotions as the mother, and as someone supporting a mother, because they are real and they are powerful. And they have got to be remembered if it ends.

When it Ends

Whether its early miscarriage, late term still birth, newborn death, or any kind of infant loss, the pain is just as real. No matter the time of the loss, remember, this mother has already seen the pink lines, experienced everything I have described. Do not discredit the emotions this mother has felt about the life inside her.

Each mother will grieve differently. As there is no right way to grieve. She will take as long as she needs to. And, that is okay. Let her hurt, let her cry, let her talk. But do not push.

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Each mother will grieve differently. As there is no right way to grieve. She will take as long as she needs to. And, that is okay. Let her hurt, let her cry, let her talk. But do not push.
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What to say

It can be difficult to know what to say to a grieving mother. So much so, that lots of people avoid saying anything at all. But it doesnt have to be that way.

Let’s first address what not to say, shall we? Some things are more hurtful than helpful. Please don’t say “Maybe it’s for the best”, “At least you know you can get pregnant”, “At least you have other children.”, “You can try again.”, “At least it happened early.” How about as a general rule, don’t start a sentence with “At least”. Don’t say “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.” Because she won’t.

Instead, let’s say, “What can I do today to help?” “I’m so sorry you are going through this.”, “I am right here whenever you need to talk about it”, “It’s okay to cry.” “I am praying for you.”, “You are important to me.”, “Your baby mattered.”

The Stigma

The world sometimes likes to discredit miscarriage because they think it’s not a real loss, or the mom can get over it easier because it wasn’t “a real baby”. This is simply not true.

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Remember the Two Pink Lines paragraph?

Women don’t need to suffer in silence. They don’t need to feel ashamed or silly about the pain that they feel. They need to feel it and they need to talk about it. There are so many support groups bringing awareness to this. Making sure that the world knows that this is a real loss of a real life, with real pain. You do not need to suffer in silence. To those that still carry the sigma, to them we can say “I hope you never have to go through this.”

The all important healing

After my loss, it took me while to want to talk about it. I felt a lot of anger and confusion. There were so many questions. I needed to feel the hurt and grieve in my own way. 

It was only after many conversations with God, that I was able to feel the heavy burden lifted from me. Suddenly, I no longer felt like I had to carry this hurt by myself. I found myself needing to talk about it. Needing to talk about her. She existed and deserved my praise. I had a great support system who listened and let me cry. Because of this, I felt her presence strongly around me, and that was very peaceful.

I wanted to do something in remberance of her. So we, as a family bought an orange tree and planted it in our back yard for her. It was a reminder that our family is forever. A reminder that we will see her again. It was a few months later that we saw a butterfly hovering endlessly around the tree. I then realised that, that day would have been her due date. And that sweet butterfly was a reminder that she is with us.

Ever since then, when we see butterflies, we say “Baby sister is here!”

I also felt very strongly that I wanted to write a children’s book to help explain to children what happens when mommy’s baby goes to heaven. My children’s book was written and published in the same year as my loss. It changed my life. I was able to start an Instagram account to share the book and also share women’s stories of loss and hope. (@too.perfect.for.this.earth) The women I have met through this have been inspiring and have helped break the silence. It has been an amazing experience.

Book information here

How to support those suffering through child loss

Say the right things. And love that momma unconditionally. If she is open to it, help her think of ways to honor and remember her baby. There are websites that will make jewelry out of your babies ashes or breastmilk. Websites that make amazing plaques or framed art with your childs name. Perhaps plant a tree and bury something of your babies with it.

Having something positive to hold, or see is very validating and healing. Pray. Pray for peace to be brought to her heart and her family. Serve. Take a meal, watch her other children, clean a bathroom, anything to help take the normal life pressures off of her while she heals and grieves. Send a card or a book to let her know she is in your thoughts

In conclusion, infant loss is a real pain that deserves the respect of understanding it. Reach out and tell your story, you never know who’s day you will brighten, or whose heart you will assist in healing. I’ll end with my favorite quote about this subject that inspired the title of my book.

“The Lord takes many away, even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows and evils of this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth; therefore, if rightly considered, instead of mourning we have reason to rejoice as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have them again.”

-Joseph Smith

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts and be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag

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Andrea Tao

My name is Andrea Tao. I live on the surface of the sun in southern Arizona. I have been married for 13 years and have 6 (yes 6) kids. I am a massage therapist by trade and a total hippy. Hobbies include watercolor painting, fitness, gardening and mommin hard. Pregnancy and infant loss awareness advocate. Wrote a children’s book about miscarriage a few years ago after a loss and it changed my life. Love seeing the humorous side of parenting and try to be as sarcastic as I can. Laughing my way through momhood!

The post I Know Loss – Supporting Those Suffering From Child Loss appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

The Doctors induced me at 36 weeks because of my daughter’s diagonosis with severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). She was born 40 hours later via emergency c-section at 3.5 lbs. Perfectly healthy, just small. Due to her size, she spent 14 days in the NICU. So the situation left me stuck exclusively pumping, scared to even try breastfeeding. Once released from the hospital, I slowly introduced the breast, hoping that my daughter would latch easily. With only a couple of exhausting tries, my little one finally latched and gulped! Our journey began and is still going strong 6 months later!

My biggest challenge with breastfeeding has been managing it while I work

As an Active Duty Officer in the Army, I have to force myself to make time to pump. The operation tempo at my current duty station leaves little wiggle room for me to sit down and pump without interruptions. I felt so apprehensive when I went back to work, but even more so, when I went to the field for a week. I was extremely anxious before I left, trying to figure out how I would manage the work load, making time to pump, and storing my milk in a safe and sterile manner.

Initially, when I brought it up to my supervisor, he blew off the topic. Basically, he told me that I needed to figure it out.

However, I knew the regulation and that they had to accommodate breastfeeding moms so I didn’t allow this to be the final answer

After continuing to pressure my supervisor, he told me that I should have a stash for my little one (I already did) for the week I worked. Although my supervisor is a medical provider and most likely knew, I made it clear that I still needed to pump and store the milk. After more of this back and forth conversing, I decided I would take matters into my own hands.

In the end, I coordinated with my husband to pick up milk once a day. Luckily, he is military as well and worked just down the road from my field site. I stored milk in a cooler (trust the Yeti) with ice packs (lucky for me, it was also freezing outside). And I pumped in my HMMWV every 4-5 hours. I made it work because it was a priority to me, even if it wasn’t to anyone else.

Working full-time in the Army makes it difficult to breastfeed, especially when you have a supervisor who is not fully on board

From the beginning of my pregnancy, I had issues with my supervisors recognizing that I was actually pregnant. I went to the field until I was 7 months pregnant. I wasn’t allowed to leave after the maximum “8 hour” working day. Event though it’s outlined in Army regulation. When I did try to adhere to the “8 hour” days, they called me back for pointless meetings or formations.

Bottom line up front (BLUF): if you don’t have a supervisor who is willing to advocate for you, take matters into your own hands!

I am still writing my breastfeeding story because I put my foot down

It’s not easy, but my daughter is definitely worth it! Although work will always keep me busy, it is important to me that my daughter receives the best. If I can give it to her myself, then I will continue to do so!

Lindsay Martin

Lindsay Martin joined the Army in 2015 and currently works as a Medical Service Officer on Fort Bragg, NC. She lives in Broadway, NC with her husband Keith and daughter Tatum.

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts and be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag

#BreastfeedingWorld

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A photography project founded in late 2014 by Alexia Garcia, photographer a Alegares Photography. Breastfeeding World aims to promote breastfeeding and encourage new moms to nurse their babies through the art of photography and story telling.

The post Army Moms Who Make Breastfeeding Work- Lindsay Martin Guest Post appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

No one ever told me about postpartum hair loss. It is kind of annoying. Of all the ways your body changes during and after pregnancy, I didn’t expect to lose my hair, too. Especially after enjoying such luxurious tresses during pregnancy.

My postpartum hair loss affected my edges (hairline) and eyebrows most drastically.

This photo was taken in December of 2016. Notice how thin my hairline is and my eyebrows.

After my third child, I concocted a mixture that helped my hair return. I am happy to share with you! You will need a blend of both oils and essential oils, but I promise your hair will reap the rewards!

Oils:

Neem Oil – This one is super stinky, but it’s super potent.

Sweet Almond Oil

Castor Oil- Golden, Black, or both

Note: I infuse my oil blend with the dried herbs of lavender, rosemary, and peppermint.

Essential oil blend

Essential Oils:

Lavender – 30 drops*

Rosemary – 30 drops*

Peppermint – 15 drops*

*for a 4 ounce bottle

Directions

1. Mix with a whisk or spoon
2. Use a funnel to transfer to a capped bottle
3. Apply to Scalp on wash day
4. See the results!

I encourage you to give this recipe a try and let us know if it works for you. Have you experienced postpartum hair loss? Do you have a product that you swear by?

This image was taken in March of 2017. Notice the fuller hairline and darker brows.

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Joi Barnett

Joi is a Believer, wife, mother, entrepreneur, and artisan, who has a passion for educating and empowering women holistically. Using family and women’s health as a focus, Joi has built an all natural soap business and doula practice to serve the needs of her community. She lives and loves in Indiana with her husband and 4 children.

The post The Best Ever Solution for Postpartum Hair loss appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Pregnant women were once just regular humans. My eyes would simply pass over in a crowd- and the same went for their babies. I didn’t single them out, and didn’t give them much thought.

Subsequently, my few run-ins with baby showers and newborns where rife with ignorance. I would glance at the registry list, pick anything, wrap it and move on.

Naturally, this efficient, but cold selection process went out the window after I had a child myself. After you go through an event as impactful as childbirth, it creates something of a bond with the ladies next in line.

It’s very much like a sisterhood, where we who have gone before want those who follow to have similar or better experiences than our own. This translates to support in the forms of advice, heaps of empathy, and smart gift-giving. Let’s focus on the latter.

My beautiful cousin on her shower day

It’s no secret that I am a serious procrastinator. This has given me a little insight on the very dregs of the registry list, and I’ve noticed a disappointing trend.

Normally, after all the big-ticket items have been snapped up, and the basket-ables have been purchased in groups, there’s only a few things left: a few spare burp cloths, a couple of pacifiers, postpartum care items (another shame that I intend to expand upon at another time) and ALL THE BREASTFEEDING SUPPLIES.

Perhaps it’s a result of the sexualization of breasts. Or the feeling that it just may not be appropriate in the setting of a classy baby shower to open a breastfeeding gift that may make people uncomfortable.

Breastfeeding gifts tend to be avoided

Maybe no one wants to be the one responsible for the collective head-turning that will occur from all the little old ladies at table number 5 upon hearing the words “nipple shield”. One thing is for sure, the whole selection of breastfeeding gifts and items are avoided like the plague.

Washable pads from Kindred Bravely, they come with the cutest carrying bag! Who would avoid these cuties??

One of the most important things I have learned from the trials and errors of my own breastfeeding journey is that support matters.

If a woman is planning on nursing, even if she is just interested in trying it out, she should be prepared with her desired breastfeeding gifts. If bottle-feeding items are provided without issue, the same should ring true for breastfeeding materials.

Consider that some items may be necessary right away, and their absence, felt. Breast pads, nipple cream, shields and shells, nursing bras, ice pack inserts and such can be useful from the beginning.

More hospitals now are encouraging mothers to begin pumping right away. However, the preferred materials may not be available to a nursing mom in the hospital.

For my most recent birth, my baby had to spend some time in the NICU. The nurses in the maternity ward carted a double Medela electric unit in for me. But they did not have the proper size flanges for my needs. In cases like this, running out to the store may not be possible, and online ordering may not cover all the things a new mom finds she needs immediately.

A pillow from My Brest Friend can be a useful tool to assist a nursing mother

Remember when I said that I went from oblivious gift-giver to wanting to look after the new members of the sisterhood?

It starts with being the person to stand up for what they want and need (and may need and not know it). There lies fault in thinking,

Oh if she really continues with the breastfeeding, then she can go get that or order it, I’m not going to buy her something she may potentially never use.”

So right off the bat, groundwork becomes laid down for doubt, because you are doubting she will use your gift. When you give the new mother the tools to aid in her success, you are ultimately telling her, “I believe this is something you can accomplish.”

Opening the basket of breastfeeding gifts that she registered for

To be fair, I don’t expect every woman who shows interest in breastfeeding to actually follow through with it. I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t support a new mother regardless of her chosen method of feeding. More often than not, the moms I’ve known chose not to nurse, even after they’d tried it.

Every person has their own equally valid opinions and reasons to proceed with or halt the practice.

Some women have no choice in the matter, it simply doesn’t work out. But I would much rather be the friend that has faith in someone’s ability and tries to help them, even if it doesn’t come to fruition.

And who says the value lies only in extended breastfeeding? Benefits can be rendered during any part in the journey, whether you choose to nurse for a week or a year. Don’t forget that exclusive pumping is becoming more widespread. With all these options, it is important to remind a new mom that success is measured differently for everyone.

With my first child, I only made it for a month, but I did achieve what I originally intended, meaning my baby got a great start. Still, I wouldn’t have made it that far without many of the necessary supplies, especially since my budget was so constrained. It was also wonderful for me to have my eldest sister to rely on when I needed emotional support or my endless questions needed answers.

It is often the small gestures we offer that show someone their choices matter to us, and that we can care about what they care about.

Perhaps straightforwardness is the best method. I will smile gladly on the day when everyone can say “You will be great at nurturing your child,” as easily as they say, “You’ll do fine.” Until then, there are some of us you can count on to welcome you into this sisterhood. So instead of the cold inattention I would have presented to you before I became a mother, I hope to offer you what you really want and need. I hope to offer you the warmth of support.

-Many special thanks to Meaghan Henderson for allowing use of her photos.

Did you receive any breastfeeding gifts when starting your motherhood journey? If so, which one was your favorite? Drop us a comment below!

Did you love this post? Don’t forget to pin it!

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts, subscribe to our website, and get up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag

#BreastfeedingWorld

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Jacqueline Falvey-Rossi

Jacqueline Falvey-Rossi is a mother of three children ages 2, 5, and 8. After many failed attempts at breastfeeding with her first two children, she achieved success with her third child, ultimately nursing for more than two years. She has become an advocate for breastfeeding normalization, and for increasing support for new nursing mothers. Her brand-new blog, Mommy is an Oddity, is about celebrating the individuality in each parent as opposed to conventionality, and promotes embracing each other’s more unusual qualities as our strengths. She wishes to help all moms accept parenting in good humor, and feel comfortable as themselves, whoever they are and wherever they are in life.

The post Why are Breastfeeding Gifts for an Expectant Mother Important? appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Whether you are welcoming your first baby or third baby into your family, the nursery is an important room to consider. It can be a quiet escape where you and your little one get to know each other while spending countless hours bonding. If you are like me, at some point you might have thought that a fully equipped nursery was silly. For at least the first year, I co-sleep; I thought I never wanted to be confined to one room with my baby; I really believed that this fully furnished and fancy nursery would become the untouched room with the perfect lines in the carpet. Those thoughts changed as I welcomed my son (and my daughter after that) and realized how important a quiet, soothing space can be.

As such, it’s necessary to create a space that both you and your baby will love. If you’re in need of some ideas, Shutterfly put together an interactive that shares 75 baby room themes with filters to help you narrow down your search based on ideas for a girl, boy or neutral room. And, you guys, it is SO much fun. I browsed for countless hours, and found some incredible inspiration.

Ultimately, you should design a space that creates a warm and welcoming environment for both you and your baby. When it comes to breastfeeding, while you create routine, this room will be your haven! Creating a nursing nook is a great way to bring the functionality of a nursery to the next level!

Check out 5 things you need for the perfect nursing nook in your nursery!

A Comfy Chair!

Shutterfly Interactive via My Domaine

Everyone’s tastes are different, in décor AND comfort. A comfortable chair can be a rocker to some, a fluffy armchair or a nice firm chair that holds the body pleasantly. Personally, I see the merit in all of the chairs. Literally, all of them. Every chair in my home, I bought in different styles to accommodate my different needs! I have a rocker in my nursery, a fluffy slipper chair in my bedroom and firm chairs in my dining room. All have been utilized for breastfeeding at some point in this journey. I chose the rocker for my nursery for those specific times of overstimulation.

Like I mentioned before, I didn’t want to be confined to one room with my baby, but there are times when I needed (and wanted) to retreat to this quiet sanctuary. This was especially true after my daughter was born, having an older child and a dog was constant noise and distractions for her. But, when we would go to our rocker in the nursery, nursing, gentle rocking and light shushing made her fall asleep like a dream!

An Ottoman

Shutterfly Interactive Photo by Sissy and Marley

A place to put your feet up. This is quite underrated, I will be honest. I will admit that I am vertically challenged and often times my feet do not comfortably reach the floor when I am sitting up straight in normal people chairs. Because of this, I am often slouching and scooting my hips forward to be more comfortable, NOT good for breastfeeding. When I had my daughter, the first thing my lactation consultant did, was utilize my son’s cute little armchair as a stool for my feet. I was able to sit up tall and the various nursing positions she taught me were so much easier. After this, all of my favorite chairs adorned a little stool or ottoman, trust me, you will definitely want one!

An End Table

Shutterfly Interactive via Brit and Co

WATER! If you are a breastfeeding mother, you already know what I mean. But, if you haven’t had your baby yet, you don’t know what a camel you will become. Breastfeeding has this way of making you insanely thirsty. Really, it is constant. An end table is the perfect addition to your nursery, you can put your water on it, your phone, your book, your nipple cream, anything you may want or need close by while you are nursing your little.

Soft Lighting

Shutterfly Interactive Photo by Lauren McBride Blog

I will be honest; this one didn’t strike me until my son was born. But, alas, we live and we learn. There were so many occasions when I found our overhead lighting to be too harsh. But, then it was turned off and it was too stinking dark. A soft lamp helped me to achieve the perfect serene environment for baby (and myself). I keep this lamp on the end table! That way I am able to reach it when I decide it is time to turn it off.

Your Style

Ultimately, you need a room that is going to make you happy when you are in it. A room that is going to be soothing to both you and your baby. It doesn’t matter the colors, the era, the panache, what matters, is that YOU love it! If this becomes the nursing nook to which you retreat when the World becomes too overwhelming for the both of you, wouldn’t you want it to be a room that makes you smile? I know I did!

And now, as my children are older and we nurse in the room less and less, I find myself walking in there, just for that little slice of serenity. Even still, It is still my calm space. In the hectic-ness of toddlers, dogs, chores, cooking, life, I retreat to their rooms and remember the way I have always felt in there. I retreat and I am at peace in our nursing nook.

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag

#BreastfeedingWorld

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Samantha Sykula

Born and raised in NY, I studied speech and language pathology at NYU. I am a stay at home mom to two beautiful children, Richard and Charlotte and wife to my wonderful husband, Rich. I have always had a deep love for learning, which has grown further since becoming a mother, I am always looking for new ways to enrich our lives. Becoming a mother changed my life, I learned compassion, caring and most importantly, true love. I hope to share the experiences of my breastfeeding, cloth diapering, babywearing, crocheting, full of love, life.

The post 5 Things You Need In Your Nursery’s Nursing Nook appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

I had a deep desire to labor and birth our third child in our home before I ever imagined having a fourth. Home Birth was in my heart before I remarried. It wasn’t something that I chose as a RESULT of a terrible experience in the hospital. Women and couples decide to have a home birth in a plethora of ways. Could it be an option for you now or in the future? Let’s explore…

My home birth was all that I hoped it would be.

My midwife Mindy.

Both of my midwives, Brandi and Mindy, scheduled an in-home visit with my “birth party” once I reached 36 weeks; the magic number when baby should safely be born at home. My birth party (people present during labor and birth) was probably larger than most. My husband and children were all present, my mom, sister, In-loves, a dear friend, and doula were all present during the exciting part of my labor and birth.

I say exciting part of my labor, because my water broke and I labored nearly 40 hours before MJ was born. Sounds awful doesn’t it? It wasn’t. The most frustrating part of laboring that long was coming to the realization that yes, my water broke at 7ish in the morning, but I wouldn’t meet my baby that same day.  My contractions continued, so I thought they were making progress. So far, the contractions weren’t unbearable- I could walk, sway, bounce, color, and talk to my mom while she baked cinnamon rolls in our kitchen.

My mom rolling homemade cinnamon rolls. Everyone was grateful for the smells and treat!

I should’ve known, with those signs that my labor would last a while longer.

After about 12 hours of laboring, I called Mindy to come check me out.It turned out that my cervix was only about 2 centimeters dilated. I felt so mad! At this point, I realized that I couldn’t inconvenience anyone who’d arrived as a willing part of this experience. Keep your party smaller, so you won’t have any of those feeling if you happen to have a longer than average labor.

Mindy was so gracious and sweet to me. She wasn’t the least bit annoyed that she’d come all that way only to return home with me still pregnant. She advised me to eat, drink a glass of wine and get some sleep. My mother-in-love was so sweet and volunteered to make the wine run two nights in a row because Saturday and Sunday were much of the same. Our family took shifts in and out to check on us and make sure we ate. I ate better while labored than I did the entire pregnancy!

My dear friend, Simone’ stopped by with my pregnancy craving.

By Sunday, I was going stir-crazy

I felt so annoyed at my still-pregnant state. Brent and I ended up padding the passenger’s seat of the car that night and taking a drive. Everyone left, and I had cabin fever. However, the time allowed us to talk and enjoy the view of the stars.

I woke up Monday morning to a big gush of fluid and substantial contractions. IT WAS ON.

Sweet toddler kisses between contractions.

Finally, we put out the call and woke up the family members that were already at house waiting. I remember using the restroom just after my midwife arrived, and sitting there fussing my husband out. It angered me- I was in labor and having a BM. The need disgusted me. Like, who does that?! I knew that this happened all the time, but it was the strangest feeling to me. I kept telling him it was all his fault. Haha!

We decided to check my cervix after I got cleaned up and I had progressed to four. We still knew there was a way to go, but knew we would meet MJ soon.

Once again, I misjudged my daughter.

She was out and on my chest in 41 minutes!!!! That might be the only thing that I would change. With contractions coming so close together, and then suddenly boom baby– it was hard for me to mentally and physical keep up with. I barely made it into the birthing tub. As soon as I sat down, by body began pushing.

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I fell in love once more!

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My husband and I after my cervix check. I barely made it into the birth pool from here.

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My husband and I decided to leave her placenta attached for a few hours after birth. So MJ and I dried off and climbed back into bed to nurse while Mindy looked us over. Meanwhile, someone fed me and gave me water. I remember feeling so incredibly thankful to give birth at home, in my space.

Taken shortly after getting back in bed from the birthing pool.

There was no hurrying around going on just joy and excitement. After a few hours passed Mindy prepared a nice herbal bath for me and MJ to get cleaned up and then helped us get back in bed and comfy again. Seriously the best immediate postpartum period that I could have asked for.

MJ just after our herbal bath.

I know you have some curiosities…

Throughout the pregnancy and labor, my husband and received lots of questions. I also like to open myself up to answer questions from others who are curious about home birth. Here are few that we’ve come across:

• What would you do if the baby stopped breathing?

If baby stops breathing or isn’t breathing at birth, the midwife takes resuscitation measures, just the same as the hospital. My midwives came equipped with rescue bags and it was our responsibility to provide a metal cookie sheet to serve as a hard surface in the event baby needed CPR. Do make sure the midwives you choose are trained in neonatal resuscitation.

•  How often do you check heartbeat?

Baby’s has his heartbeat checked aproximately every twenty minutes during active labor, but less often in early labor and during pushing.

• Do you prepare emergency plans? 

Yes, we prepare emergency back up plans. I registered with my back-up hospital ahead of time, in the event I needed transported.

• Can I eat/drink what I want the entire time?

I ate and drank EVERYTHING I wanted. I was SO hungry!

• Is it true that it’s unsanitary to give birth in the water that you are sitting in?

This is not true unless the water somehow becomes contaminated. If you have a bowel movement while pushing, you should of course get out of the water. This is the same procedure you would follow if you were pushing on the bed, and the soiled linen would be removed before baby is born.

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Coloring was a relaxing way for me to pass the time.

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Supply corner and my wall of affirmation. This was taken a few days before my water broke.

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One of my birth affirmations.

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• What do you do to provide mom comfort immediately after placenta delivers?

It’s a great option to have warm blankets or heating pads arranged. The parents or someone in the birth party can provide them. The entire experience is customized to fit the needs of mom/dad/family. However keep in mind that requests shouldn’t keep the midwives from ensuring the safety of Mom and baby.

• Does mom still go to the hospital afterwards? What preparations need to made beforehand as far as materials, sanitation, space, etc…?

No need for Mom to go to the hospital if delivery was uneventful. Your home should be just as clean as it normally is.  There is a list of supplies that we needed available for the birth. For instance, we had a water birth, so we had to get a water hose, plastic to go under the tub to protect our carpet and a bunch of extra towels on hand.

• Weren’t you concerned about infection with your water being broken so long?

I wasn’t. Being at home with ruptured membranes is much different from being at the hospital with all those germs.  I trusted my midwives and I follow their instructions closely. They told me to practice good hygiene, clean the toilet seat before each use, nothing in my vagina, to stay hydrated, and watch for signs of fever. I wasn’t gushing fluid at all. There was a slow leak until the morning MJ was born.

All my loves!

Hospitals are a great option, but they are not the ONLY option. Explore all of them and be fearless in making the best choice for you and your family. Are you interested in your own home birth? What are some of your question about the process? Let’s keep the conversation going! We would love to hear some of your home birth experiences.

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag

#BreastfeedingWorld

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Joi Barnett

Joi is a Believer, wife, mother, entrepreneur, and artisan, who has a passion for educating and empowering women holistically. Using family and women’s health as a focus, Joi has built an all natural soap business and doula practice to serve the needs of her community. She lives and loves in Indiana with her husband and 4 children.

The post How to Have an Amazing Home Birth in a World of Hospitals Pt.2 appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

I had endured so much pain, aggravation, and exhaustion that I had lost sight of the prize. It was too much.

I can’t! I said to the room in general, I’ve got nothing left!

All around me, a half-dozen heads turned in my direction with sympathy on their faces; my husband withered, the nurse patted my hand, and the neonatologist team shook their heads as I visibly wilted. All heads, that is, except one. It popped up from its previously unwavering position at the foot of the hospital bed between where my feet were lodged intermittently in the stirrups: that head belonged to my certified nurse-midwife.

Are you kidding me? she practically shouted. After everything you went through to get here, to be able to do this… After all that, you’re not giving up now!

Less than ten minutes later, my third child was welcomed into the world, delivered safely into the hands of the only person who fought for what I wanted as hard as I did.

This is really the middle of the story, but it is the first moment of true glory in my constant battle to keep on a more natural path. And, every moment of doubt thereafter has been smacked down by a distinct voice with a distinct phrase.

This was my third pregnancy, so from the time we made the decision to have this baby; we knew what we were in for. I suffer from a condition that is only a part of my life during, what feels to be, the most important thing my body will ever go through.

It’s called Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy or ICP, sometimes known as gestational cholestasis. For some reason, my body develops a block when trying to move bile salts between the gall bladder and the liver. The bile salts spill back into the blood stream, causing what is essentially, a pollution of the bloodstream. The medical community describes the feeling as “discomfort”, but anyone who suffers from the condition knows it is pure hell.

Itching breaks out on the palms of hands and soles of feet. It crawls up the arms and spreads through the body like poisonous insects crawling under the skin, stinging with every step. There is often no outward signs. No rash or discoloration, and scratching relieves nothing as the itch is under the skin. It becomes 24/7. Sleep is unattainable, warm weather makes it worse, creams and lotions can be useless. Approximately 1 in 1,000 women experience this misery. And, it often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as an allergy.

I contended with it for weeks in my first pregnancy before my OB believed me enough to run the bile salts and liver enzyme on my blood test.

Treatment included, an oral medication for the itch, but the only cure is delivery of the baby. Delivery has to occur early, at or around 37 weeks gestation, because the biggest and scariest risk of the disease is stillbirth.

I thank my lucky stars that we caught it, and that my oldest son was delivered safely, even if he had a slew of complications. When we had my daughter, the prenatal care, and eventually the induction went much more smoothly than I could have imagined. We knew what to expect, yes, but I switched to a nurse midwife, and her care made all the difference. I was never doubted again, never made to feel ridiculous over my concerns. I was always encouraged, always informed of what my choices were. So, it was a natural decision three years later to go back to the same person when my next pregnancy test blinked a positive.

Baby number three was a surprise gender, and we were more financially sound and stable in our home than ever before. We expected a repeat of past issues, but knew we could certainly handle the fallout. I progressed beautifully and enjoyed more doting than ever from my husband, and I took my medications without a concern for itching.

Then, I broke out in a rash across my swollen belly early into the third trimester.

My midwife’s face was filled with sympathy when she saw the pox and the scratch marks, she knew it was PUPPP right away (Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy). She laughed when I started coming in with a belly wrapped in plastic wrap like a leftover meatloaf, but recognized the genius of how I kept the soothing lotion on. Still itchy, but I was determined to be in good spirits.

I saw her more frequently, and was going downstairs to the High Risk department for monitoring and biophysical profiles weekly. We were tracking progress as best we could, but of course everyone was still adamant about delivery at 37 weeks. 

I’ve had expectant mothers with this condition, the high-risk OB would tell me, who came in and had perfect fluid, and heart rates, and the babies were moving around fine, and they would go home. Then I would get a call and an hour later, and the baby would be gone.

After hearing that, I was terrified.

I showed up at the hospital on the scheduled day, ready for my third medically necessary induction, nervous but excited. I was to be examined before they started the drip. “Uh oh”. That is not a phrase one wants to hear when under the scrutiny of anyone in the medical profession.

Your baby seems to have flipped, he or she is breech. Guess we’ll be having a C-section today! the hospital’s OB said brightly.

No, I refused.

I knew how important it was to get the baby out. I knew I wouldn’t be able to go home and come back another day. Sure, I had never gone into natural labor (not for lack of trying), but, being armed with knowledge of entirely too many statistics and facing the intense recovery of serious surgery, I balked.

The L&D doctors and nurses thought I was ridiculous; We can go in the OR and you can have that baby in your arms in a half hour, they said.

Still, I refused.

My midwife arrived, and offered me an alternative: external cephalic version, or simply a version. A trained doctor would push and roll the baby by placing pressure on my uterus from outside the body. It would be painful, so I would need anesthesia, and it had only about a 50% success rate.

I agreed. They had to me wait 4 hours, so the single bite of waffle I ingested that morning would be digested fully before the procedure. At 2:30 in the afternoon, I was administered the spinal/epidural combination, strapped to what looked like a cross, naked from the waist down in the OR with a team of doctors, students, nurses, and my husband. And, of course, my ever-present midwife. They pushed and rolled, and watched carefully on the ultrasound for signs of uterine rupture or distress from the baby. No one thought it would work at first, but they did it, to their own comical levels of surprise. They congratulated each other while my midwife soothed me.

She smiled, but she leaned towards me and said, Now the real work begins.

My legs were useless from the spinal, and the hospital nurses on the evening tour were adamant that I not move from my upright sitting position.

The baby needs to move down, to engage, my midwife explained kindly.

But of course, when she came back much later to find I hadn’t been allowed to move at all, that the overnight team had not provided proper sanitary care, wouldn’t allow me to remove the automatic blood pressure cuff for even a break, and that I was in immense pain with no sleep, I caught my first glimpse of her temper.

Twenty-three hours of labor. We were all at the end of our ropes.

I had not eaten since 6 AM the day before, I was not allowed even a sip of water. My husband was a champ, stroking my hair and speaking soothingly all day and night, jumping at any request. But, even his eyes were dim now, his five o’clock shadow grown into a full beard. He rotated his head to stretch his neck, never releasing my hand from his grasp. My lifeless leg dangled over his elbow. “You got this. You can do anything,” he whispered to me.

My midwife glared at me after her outburst. Then she softened. You can do this! Don’t you tell me you can’t, after all that. Now PUSH!

The pain was intense, they had turned the epidural down so low (at my request, so I could use my own muscles better) that I suspected it was turned off. I powered through. The baby was turned to my husband so he could be the first to tell me the gender.

“It’s a boy!”

Rang triumphantly through the room. My husband’s masculine pride in himself broke through into my euphoria and made me smile as he clipped the cord. A wet, naked baby was placed into my arms, and I struggled to get my hospital gown down to press him against my skin. The next procedures were a whirlwind. I recall a ruckus over too much blood, and they adjusted something on the intravenous.

But I felt it.

Through the haze of adoration for my new baby boy, the love and wonder I shared with my husband in this endless moment, I felt the approving gaze of my midwife. She was right, of course.

I could do it. And, I did do it.

So, it became that in moments of breastfeeding, when I struggled most, I heard her again. When the neonatal team tried to convince me to rest instead of show up to the NICU every two hours to nurse him; or my family treated the topic with disgust, as though I was a lesser citizen, because breastfeeding is for the poor; when I nursed every half hour for weeks on end; when I had foremilk/hindmilk imbalance and block-nursed for 4 days; or he bit, slapped, and pinched; when I hadn’t slept more than three hours in a row for 8 months; when people said, “You should stop now, he’s old enough,” or “If you keep on feeding him like that it’s because YOU like it,” as though I were perverse…

I would hear my midwife say to me, After all you went through, you’re not giving up now!

For twenty-five months, I breastfed my son.

I was reluctant to end, but I guess my toddler knew what he was ready for. He self-weaned, and never looked back. In the end, I never gave up. For his good start, for my husband who supported me without ever questioning, for myself, and for the voice in my head, I never gave up.

After all I went through, I never gave up.

Jacqueline Falvey-Rossi is a mother of three children ages 2, 5, and 8. After many failed attempts at breastfeeding with her first two children, she achieved success with her third child, ultimately nursing for more than two years. She has become an advocate for breastfeeding normalization, and for increasing support for new nursing mothers. Her brand-new blog, Mommy is an Oddity, is about celebrating the individuality in each parent as opposed to conventionality, and promotes embracing each other’s more unusual qualities as our strengths. She wishes to help all moms accept parenting in good humor, and feel comfortable as themselves, whoever they are and wherever they are in life.

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag

#BreastfeedingWorld

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admin

A photography project founded in late 2014 by Alexia Garcia, photographer a Alegares Photography. Breastfeeding World aims to promote breastfeeding and encourage new moms to nurse their babies through the art of photography and story telling.

The post The Unintended Mantra That Made Me a Success at Breastfeeding appeared first on Breastfeeding World.