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 My Favorite Things: Breastfeeding Must-Haves appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

As I sit to write this, my sweet boy is sprawled out, halfway in my lap with his legs kicking the couch cushion nursing away as he holds his toy dinosaur. This sweet little boy is 2 years old…

My Journey

My sweet baby boy and I had a rough start into our breastfeeding journey. The first four weeks, I was in excruciating pain. We had difficulties with his latch, resulting in discomfort for the both of us. My nipples were so sore and no amount of creams, oils or cool cloths helped. He was also in so much pain from being constantly gassy, due to a poor latch, and no amount of gas drops or natural remedies would help him either. At our four-week appointment, I spoke to my lactation consultant. He was diagnosed with a tongue-tie, which they clipped in office, and five minutes later, we both felt relief!

Why I Love Toddler (full term) Breastfeeding

Full Term breastfeeding is essentially nursing past your baby’s first birthday. Besides the nutritional value, we are still going strong for emotional reasons. I find my toddler wanting to nurse more frequently when he’s anxious, nervous, excited and sad. I can tell when he is having a growth spurt, not feeling well or just wants to be comforted.

When I think about weaning, which I have numerous times… it always comes down to knowing that one day, he won’t want to nurse anymore. That thought alone is enough for me to continue, and let him lead the way naturally.

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When I think about weaning, which I have numerous times... it always comes down to knowing that one day, he won’t want to nurse anymore. That thought alone is enough for me to continue, and let him lead the way naturally.
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The Real Deal

Breastfeeding a toddler comes with a whole new set of challenges. Life is far more interesting and exploration is the top priority for any busy toddler. One minute, my little guy will be busy playing with his trucks and the next minute, tugging on my shirt. There are times that he’ll nurse to sleep, and others for only seconds in order to go back to playing.

The bottom line is, breastfeeding at any age can be beautiful, relaxing, irritating and even humorous. At this age, more than any other I’ve yet to experience… it’s also sometimes very unpleasant. At any given moment, he’ll whine for “boo boos” and it just so happens to be when I’m making dinner, making a phone call, or rushing to get dressed. Let’s not forget his acrobatic skills he’s mastered. This kid will nurse while standing, sitting in my lap, practically a gymnast of all sorts.

One of the great things about nursing a toddler though, is that you can set boundaries. Since he is able to understand and communicate, we can work together to find a common ground. It’s rather difficult negotiating with a non-verbal baby.

The Criticism

Breastfeeding past the age of one is often a touchy subject. There is so much scrutiny, judgment, shaming and criticizing, that is truly disheartening. Unfortunately, many parents deal with this, but what is even more unfortunate is that many people simply aren’t aware of the continuing benefits breastfeeding provides for both parent and child. Breastfeeding is a symbiotic relationship between mom and baby, and only the two. If you both choose to continue your journey, remember to look beyond the criticism to the reason you are doing so. 

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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Amanda Merriweather

I am a wife, step mom to an amazing 10 year old boy, mother to a curious 4 year old girl and spunky 2 year old boy and coffee enthusiast. I am constantly on the go and love to express all of my favorite things in life through text and images. Our family loves to stay busy with local activities, outdoorsy adventures and capturing it all through social media and photography. I am easily intrigued and love adventures.

The post What’s it like to Breastfeed a Toddler? appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

We first met in September 2015

Newborn

I remember the heady, sleepless days of his babyhood. How he would nurse with vigor: constantly, incessantly, hungrily. It used to feel like I might never satisfy his need for milk, but still, we continued. Through tongue ties, vasospasm and mastitis (on Christmas Day!), breast milk seemed enough to get us through it all.

I remember the first time I nursed in public: the anxiety coursing through my veins, expectantly awaiting a rude comment. How funny, two years on, and we still have never received a wrong-word.

Mama’s milk

I think about when, at 3 months old, breastfeeding had become ‘easy’ – the pain of the early days had ceased. And, I had begun to enjoy it more. It was then that I began to feel a strong passion for breastfeeding. How my initial goal of reaching a year had changed to getting to the WHO minimum recommendation of 2. Funny, now we’re there, and my goals have changed again. After all, children really do only get older a day at a time.

Through sickness and hospital stays

Changes

At 4 months, so began the sleep regression, still engrained in my mind, as a time straight from hell. I remember so vividly wondering whether I would ever sleep for more than 20 minutes again. But still, we continued to breastfeed.

At 6 months, with his first taste of food, I remember being worried that food might replace milk very quickly. I was wrong: my hungry boy seemed to have two separate stomachs – one for milk and one for food.

Comfort, nutrition

At 7 months, I recall how those first 4 front teeth burst through his gums, and my fear of being bitten. It rarely happened, and I laugh at my worries now as I nurse a toddler with all 20 of his baby teeth.

I remember, at 8 months old, I returned to work. I recall the devastating feeling of loss I carried with me as my engorged breasts swelled every time I thought of my son. The evenings brought with them reconnection; nursing sessions which lasted whole nights, that helped us to stay close despite our day time separation.

The perfect connection

Into Toddlerhood

I remember, we survived a nursing strike when he was one, following a nasty bout of hand, foot and mouth. How I cried at the thought of never nursing my little love again. The strike was brief, fleeting really, in the timeline of our journey, but oh so worrying. How would I ever have known that this would be the first of 3 nursing strikes (to date) and that we would overcome them all?

Little, yet determined

At 14 months, I recall how my gorgeous boy found his feet – and with the realization that he could run off, came a new-found air of independence. But still, we found ourselves nursing on, breast milk always the ever-still calm after the toddler-storm.

Sometimes breastfeeding looks like this

At 15 months came the language explosion, and I remember my initial embarrassment at my fierce, loud boy shouting ‘boobies mummy!’ at my chest at the top of his voice in the supermarket. Who would have thought that at two, I’d be engaging in public negotiations over when would be a good time to nurse, and how mid-hair cut might not be the best opportunity.

I remember how all the events, the big ones and the little ones, have been peppered by nursing sessions. Every day, every single day, for the past 2 years, I have breast fed my son.

‘And beyond’

As I sit here, on the eve of his second birthday, I cannot believe how far we’ve come, how important nursing is to our relationship. Yes, it’s changed: no longer is my boy a small, quiet, suckling babe in arms. More often, I am breastfeeding a child who sincerely wishes I could detach a boob so he could play and nurse. But, as the light draws in, sat in the comfort of our old, familiar nursing chair, I realize that although he’s grown, and will continue to grow and change and evolve, one thing remains the same for us: breastfeeding is important. Breastfeeding is pivotal to his childhood years. Mama milk keeps him growing: healthy and strong. It’s always been the same, and it always will.

And then you were two

Read it, love it, share it, pin it- but whatever you do, keep sharing the breastfeeding love!!

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Read it, love it, share it, pin it- but whatever you do, keep sharing the breastfeeding love!!

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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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Emily Lipscombe

Emily is a 20-something year old mama and teacher, living on the south coast of the UK with her husband and their toddler, balancing motherhood, family life and work (with varying degrees of success!) She writes about breastfeeding and parenting and everything else in between – check out her blog!

squidmamma.wordpress.com

The post And Then You Were Two: How Breastfeeding Changes As Your Nursling Grows appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Today I want to share with you an awesome company, Kindred Bravely.

Kindred Bravely is a company devoted to creating maternity and postpartum clothes that are effortlessly chic and beautiful, while still being comfy and practical.

Founded by Deeanne Akerson, who was sick of all of the impractical and often times, ugly, maternity wear (especially for breastfeeding moms). She set out to make a change, and Kindred Bravely was born. She wants moms to look and feel great all the time. I love how Deeanne describes her clothing line; “Our clothes have been meticulously designed to make your superhero journey easier.”

Our Team at Breastfeeding World leaped at the opportunity to collaborate with Kindred Bravely to pull of the most epic Big Latch On Events in NYC, Times Square, Central Indiana, and Martha’s Vineyard.

Read more about how DeeAnne started Kindred Bravely here.

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As a mom to an eight month old boy, I understand how difficult it is to find the “perfect” nursing bra or an adorable nursing set that you feel comfortable flaunting around the house in front of close friends and family. The struggle is real…well, until I found about out KB.

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To test out some of the products first hand, Kindred Bravely sent me two nursing bras and two pajama sets- one was with long pants and the other shorts.

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When it comes to bras, I never seem to get it right. I find that every bra fits differently. I feel like every bra is a different size, in every new bra style that I choose from. Does this ever happen to you too? When KB asked me what size to send me, I was a little hesitant that yet again, they wouldn’t fit me right or be uncomfortable. Man, was I pleasantly surprised.  When I received my package in the mail, I instantly ran over to grab my phone to do an ‘insta-unpackaging story’ -because obviously everyone on my Instagram had to know about this

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The first thing that grabbed my attention when I opened the pack of bras, was the feeling of the fabric.

I have never owned a bra that felt that soft. Kindred Bravely Sent me the Simply Sublime Nursing Bra in beige and the Marvella Nursing Plunge “T-Shirt” Bra in black. Now, you may think that what I am about to say is just ‘a way to get you to buy these products’ – truth be told, it is not. I put on the Marvella Bra first and instantly shouted out loud,

“OMG finalllllly!!! This bra is amazzzzing!”

My husband looked at me like I had two heads. I kid you not, I did a little dance around our living room. I had never experienced a bra like this. Usually bras are so uncomfortable for me or like I said, never fit, but this bra was magical. It fit PERFECT!

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Since I received both bras, I haven’t worn any other. They fit great, are super comfortable and convenient for nursing mamas- being that the straps snap off for easy access. You can tell right away that KB made both bras with high quality fabrics.The soft and stretchy nylon makes them feel almost like you aren’t even wearing a bra at all!

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The Marvella bra has a criss-cross back.

I love its wire-free design and how comfortable it feels on my chest. After trying on this bra, I now realize that I am willing to pay a little more to get the better quality. This bra offers great support and is very appealing to the eye. The Marvella sells for $39 and comes in a variety of colors.

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Jessica Speer

I am a first time momma to Landon and I am loving every sweet moment that passes by with him. I work full-time as a Registered Nurse, so I know how important and beneficial breastfeeding is for your baby. On my free time, I am a writer, avid photo taker and cook. As a contributor for Breastfeeding World, my goal is to encourage and inspire other new moms as they start on their own personal journeys through motherhood and breastfeeding. We are all in this together!

www.asthespeeritmovesyou.com

The post The Only Nursing Bra (and Jammies) that You’ll Ever Need- Kindred Bravely Review appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Moms know well that there are many precious moments in their infants’ lives. But few can compare to the emotional closeness of breastfeeding. So many of those invaluable rituals pass almost unnoticed as we’re immersed in a sea of worries. As we think about how we can solve yet another issue.

Especially for moms that raise toddlers and infants simultaneously, like myself. It becomes crucial to create a soothing atmosphere in every room of the house. You will want to be present in those priceless moments and not worry about a sink full of dishes or tripping over toys on the floor. And that is where simple decluttering tips come in handy!

Inside-out makeover

Even if you’re in love with your trinkets and knickknacks; when you have a toddler running around the house while you’re trying to breastfeed your bundle of joy, it’s not easy to enjoy the feeding time with a peace of mind.

If it does’t bring you joy, considering purging it. Put away the smallest and least-used items in your home. Decorative, grabable items can be put in a storage unit, in a drawer, or up on a high shelf. Keep your rooms clean and focused around several larger pieces of furniture with warm accessories; such as pillows, carpets and curtains.

The same goes for your nursery – I’ve used many colorful boxes and sliding drawers to store clothes, extra blankets and toys, so that they are out of reach without my help. With that, every room is clutter-free. Plenty of clean, open space allows you to breastfeed in comfort and focus on your baby without panicking about that pile of books that needs organizing.

A breath of fresh air

Nothing inspires a sense of serenity quite like clean, fresh air. However, living with kids often causes burnt meals, smelly diapers, and as cute as baby farts might sound, they can be surprisingly hard on the nose! It took my husband a while before he got used to various baby smells. We had to learn how to change those diapers like a professional pit-stop team – in less than five seconds.

Living in cities alone exposes you to an above-normal level of air pollutants and unhealthy microelements. No matter how hard you try to keep your home clean and tidy, dust, pollen and hair find their way into every room.

With the help of low-maintenance plants and high-quality air purifiers, even the smelliest, stuffiest rooms turn into a breastfeeding oasis for you and your baby. Removing toxins and pollutants, will not only help your baby breathe better, stay calm and soothe them to sleep with ease, but it will also help them stay healthy and lower the risk of allergies or asthma in the future.

Stress-free maintenance

Our first baby shower resulted in so many doubles that I cannot even begin to name them all. Pacifiers, plush toys, breastfeeding pillows, crib blankets, you name it. Some of them, of course, were bound to come in handy sooner or later. But, most of them just took up space. This was definitely the case with a breast pump I had a special relationship with. I couldn’t wait for the time to get rid of it too.

With a second baby on the way, we had to get rid of all the extras and make room for the things we would actually need. So, a spring cleaning in the middle of winter ensued, and our home suddenly felt lighter, brighter and less chaotic. We decided to literally take baby steps to avoid collecting clutter in the future.

As soon as I receive a double gift or buy an extra item by mistake, I donate it, sell it or pass it on, in no less than a day or two. This helps me keep our home clutter-free, simple to clean, kids and breastfeeding-friendly. Instead of one major spring cleaning session that can take up a whole day or even a week, we created a manageable routine that keeps stress at bay and doesn’t interrupt or hinder my precious breastfeeding sessions.
Focus on finding the best long-term solution that will simplify cleaning and organizing your home, and every breastfeeding session will become a private, stress-free moment of bliss you will remember for the rest of your life.

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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Zara Lewis

The post A Breastfeeding-Friendly Home: How To Declutter Your Life appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

To be completely honest, I haven’t given much thought to NOT breastfeed. I mean, it is SO good for your baby and there are many health benefits. So, why wouldn’t I? Being a full-time Registered Nurse, I know how beneficial breastfeeding can be for your newborn, so of course I want to be able to provide that for my Little One.

I want to start by saying that I am in no way against formula feeding. Of course, I understand that some mommas have to take this route for various reasons (including personal) and that is totally fine. I am pro-breastfeeding in the event you are given an option to choose between the two.

Breastfeeding has so many great benefits for not only baby, but mommy as well. Now, I hope you don’t mind that the Nurse in me is going to come out in this article. By choosing to breastfeed your baby, you not only get to be super close and cuddly with your mini-me, but you get to give him/her the best momma juice out there, your breast milk.  It still fascinates me how amazing our body works and what it can do! I mean, it just knows when to produce milk and just how much your baby needs.  How cool is that?

Since the moment that I found out that I was pregnant, I knew that I wanted to try to breastfeed my baby.

Being a nurse and constantly working around sick people, I have built up a great immune system. It was a ‘no brainer’ that I had to pass this immunity onto my baby too. By giving your LO breast milk, you are already helping to prevent your newborn from any possible infection.

This is particularly beneficial during your baby’s first few months of life; because this is the time baby uses to build up their defense against foreign organisms. By choosing to breastfeed your baby, you are also helping to lower your baby’s chance of contracting many illnesses later in their lives, such as asthma, allergies, diabetes, cancer, as well as helping to improve their brain development and reducing the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). AND, children who were breastfed are shown to have higher IQ scores later in life. Have I convinced you just yet?

Guess what? Baby is not the only one who benefits in your choice to nurse. There are many incentives that also come to mom as well.

One, you will save money- roughly $1,500 a year. I know that money was certainly a factor for my husband and I. More money to save for diapers, they sure add up quick. 

Another thing that drew my attention was the fact that breastfeeding helps with weight loss. I gained 29 lbs. during my pregnancy (all in my belly, thankfully) but it was surprisingly SO EASY for me to lose it postpartum. My fast weight loss was attributed to eating healthy throughout my pregnancy, being active (walking daily) and yes, breastfeeding. I watched the weight fall off in front of me. For so many people, weight loss alone is the reason many moms choose to breastfeed- and that’s OK.

Your baby benefits and so do you! Another reason why I am pro-BF is because it is so convenient! No waiting to heat up bottles when baby is HANGRY and crying. Just lift up your shirt, pull baby close and there you go. There is no mess. Not having any bottles to clean makes it quick, simple & easy.

Being an RN, it is my role to support, empower and educate moms on their journey breastfeeding their new baby.

I hope by writing for Breastfeeding World that I am able to help provide you with the tools and resources you will need to be successful and have an easy transition into your breastfeeding journey. To me, nothing beats the feeling you get when you look your little one in the eyes and know that you are providing them with the best nutrients possible. It puts me at ease and comforts my heart, knowing that Landon is going to grow big and strong, by reaping all of the wonderful rewards breastfeeding has to offer!

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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Jessica Speer

I am a first time momma to Landon and I am loving every sweet moment that passes by with him. I work full-time as a Registered Nurse, so I know how important and beneficial breastfeeding is for your baby. On my free time, I am a writer, avid photo taker and cook. As a contributor for Breastfeeding World, my goal is to encourage and inspire other new moms as they start on their own personal journeys through motherhood and breastfeeding. We are all in this together!

www.asthespeeritmovesyou.com

The post Nursing from a Nurse’s Perspective 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.

As with most big life lessons, we tend to resist at first. Change is hard. Sometimes it takes weeks, months, or years of banging our heads against a wall before we realize that the wall is not going to move. Then we finally take four steps to the left and continue on our way.

Breastfeeding was my wall. I wanted my baby to feed when it was convenient for me. Not when I was tired. Not when I was cooking. I needed my toddler to let go when I told her to. No, not in a minute. Right now! When I was tandem nursing a toddler and a newborn, the toddler wanted to nurse every time the newborn did. Why oh why?

Numerous times I questioned breastfeeding, I questioned myself, and I blamed my kids for being “high needs.”

Then, I took four steps to the left. I let the house get messy. My husband cooked dinner upon arriving from work. I realized that my toddler took a minute to unlatch because she had milk in her mouth and she needed to swallow it.  When I took a step back and looked at the big picture, I realized that the “breastfeeding problems” were not problems at all. They were my children’s refusal to conform to my unrealistic expectations.  I am so grateful to my children for giving me the opportunity to recognize this.  They were and still are teaching me that compassion is more important than rules.

As I was preparing to write this post, I tried to think of the most important lessons that our breastfeeding journey has taught my whole family. Then it dawned on me. These life lessons actually have less to do with milk and more to do with parenthood. So whether you breastfeed, bottle feed, are a foster parent, adoptive parent, traditional parent or crunchy, here are three ways that the power of parenthood reshaped my whole perspective on life.

Trust

I learned to trust that my babies know when they are hungry, sad, mad, or overwhelmed. My trust in their feelings reinforces their trust in themselves.

I learned to trust myself and my parenting choices. When I’m not listening to my inner voice, babies cry, fuss at the breast, or throw temper tantrums. When I am connected to my instincts, I make better choices, and the family thrives.

Advocate for myself

We all have a breaking point, but you can’t know your limits until you reach them. Parenthood will take you there on a high-speed train. I learned to ask for help when I was breastfeeding a newborn, and to say “wait” to my toddler. I learned that saying “I can’t help you right now” is not a sign of weakness or selfishness. It is a sign of me knowing my capabilities and me standing up for myself. And this is a skill that I want to model for my children.

Connection

When connection is missing, children will let you know in a million different ways.  When I stopped long enough to watch, I learned to notice subtle differences in the way my children would behave at the breast. I tried to discover the real reason for resisting sleep, or for screaming at me for handing over the wrong colored cup, or for pretending to be a baby for days on end. Vibes were better between us when I took the time to really listen. I stopped scrolling through Facebook while nursing, I played Fireman Sam without eyeing the laundry pile, and understood the reason for more tears after spending a lot of time away. My actions would frequently reflect my culture or what I was taught to be the “right” way, and I learned, little by little, to open my eyes and ears to my children and less to society around me.

I thought I would be raising children, but it turns out that I have as much (or more) to learn as them. This new me is better, more compassionate, more trusting, and more patient.

Let me admit, though, that I did not sign up for this recreation of myself. I signed up for a new baby, not a new me. It’s so hard. I wish that this recreation of me could be done without banging my head against the wall so many times. But that’s how change works. The bigger the change, the harder the head-bang is. Parenthood gave me no choice but to reshape myself into the mother that a person needs. My kids are three and four now so I guess this is just the beginning.

Can I do this?

Well, I’ve come this far. I’m going to go out on a limb and say yes. Thanks, parenthood, for showing me what I’m capable of. I’ll try not to let you down as you throw the next lessons my way.

Has parenthood thrown challenges at you that you didn’t expect? How have you grown because of them? Drop me a comment below, I’d love to hear your experience! 

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 HT #BreastfeedingWorld 

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Anne Kathryn Rice

Anne Kathryn Rice is an American mother of two strong willed children living on the Italian Riviera. She writes about motherhood and listening to your inner voice, even when cultural expectations, baby books, and impromptu advice seem to challenge your instincts. You can read more about her personal experiences on her blog.

www.lovegrowdiscover.com

The post The Power of Parenthood – Breastfeeding World appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

It pleases me to announce that this year Breastfeeding World will be uniting efforts once again with the Global Latch On and we will be hosting our Second Annual NYC Big Latch On!

This year Alexia Garcia (Founder of the Breastfeeding World community & photo project) will once again be working with her amazing friend and fellow dreamer Lisa Maloney  (volunteer coordinator for Breastfeeding World events) as well as the rest of the Breastfeeding World’s team: Samantha Sykula (BFW Editor) and Christian Garcia  to ensure we bring you the best peer-to-peer event possible in New York City. 

On 2015 with only one month of planning we managed to have a great success in our first iconic NYC Big Latch On.  We gathered 76 nursing moms and over 100 breastfeeding supporters who came together to celebrate breastfeeding in none other than the traditional Times Square.

The Global Big Latch On takes place annually over two days during World Breastfeeding Week (1st – 7th August). As a worldwide peer support and community development event, it aims to strengthen national and global support for breastfeeding and to improve the health of children and women around the world. The first year it took place was in 2010, two countries participated in it and had 2,045 babies latched. On 2015, 28 countries participated and together we managed to break the record having 14,889 babies latched.

How does the Big Latch work?

It’s pretty simple and so much fun. At 10:30 am local time women all around the world simultaneously nurse their little ones for one whole minute aiming to help promote breastfeeding around the world.

Why did Breastfeeding World choose to stay in Times Square?

Two very simple reasons…

• Times Square is the heart of NYC, the heart of the Big Apple. Last year, our NYC moms took over Times Square and they loved it. We decided we couldn’t take our iconic  and historic event and “after coffee” (you’ll know more about that soon) away from the city. So get ready because this year we will be momentous! Together we will be making a difference in our community.

• Breastfeeding World is not affiliated with any political entity. We kindly thank all the efforts that Borough Hall presidents have done to help promote and normalize breastfeeding but we prefer to keep our event politics-free. Our goal is to serve our community of mothers by educating, offering support and creating an atmosphere where they can all feel welcomed and cared for. Breastfeeding World is an initiative that has quickly developed into an online community, from moms to moms and we wish to keep it that way.

I’d love to join and be apart of Breastfeeding World’s second annual NYC Big Latch On, how can I do it?

First thing you need to know: you DON’t need to be a breastfeeding mom to be able to join us, if you are a breastfeeding supporter then we want you with us too!

You can be a part of this year’s iconic event by participating in the actual latch or by being part of our amazing volunteer group.

Nursing mama? You can register to be a NYC Big Latch On participant HERE and make sure you mark it on your calendars!

Volunteer? You can sign up to be a part of the Breastfeeding World volunteer team for this 2016  NYC Big Latch On and help us make a difference in our community HERE.

Important Disclaimer: On April 1st on our Facebook Page we announced we were working with Lisa Maloney and our volunteer from last years event, Kiki Valentine, organizing the Brooklyn Big Latch On. Kiki has parted ways from the Breastfeeding World’s group of volunteers and we wish her all the very best, we loved working with Kiki and will be missing her dearly but we are super happy to have inspired her to have her own event. Breastfeeding World is no longer participating nor affiliated in any way with the Brooklyn Big Latch On nor with Brooklyn’s Borough Hall. We wish them the very best!

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 HT #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 Announcing our Second NYC Big Latch On appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Nothing Better <3

Although bed–sharing is becoming more and more a topic of open conversation in parenting choices in the U.S. these days, before I became pregnant I thought it was kind of strange and not for me. I could not imagine having my baby in bed while still getting sleep and forget trying to have time with my husband. I just couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of ever choosing that for my family. I read in the most popular (at the time) parenting books when to have baby in his own crib and room; how to get a bedside bassinet at first then to move baby to his own room only after a few months. To be honest, that sounded fine. As a new mom-to-be, three months of having my baby in my room seemed long. Plus, I wanted my babies to all be independent and learn to soothe themselves and to sleep through the night.

Co–sleeping at it’s most precious moment. <3

Well, let me tell you, my pre-mama way of thinking disgusts me, now! I can’t believe I thought that was normal. I can’t believe society and our culture taught me to think this was normal in the beginning.
I’m beyond happy that after I gave birth I listened to my mommy instincts, did research for safe co-sleeping and I kept my baby right next to me. Co-sleeping is one of the best parenting choices I’ve ever made, especially for breastfeeding!
Not only has co-sleeping helped me get more sleep, it helps with my babies sleeping more, too, because breastfeeding is right there when it is needed. No extra yelling or crying for me to come and feed them, therefore no extra waking up and becoming upset. Co-sleeping helped increase and keep my supply up always having my babies right next to me all night; and for me, practicing safe co-sleeping always helped relieve my mommy (postpartum) anxiety because I knew my baby was okay.

One of the only co–sleeping pics my husband snapped of our first. Thank God he got a few with our baby boy. <3

Each baby is different so co-sleeping with each might look different. For my son, I started with him in a bedside bassinet, but he and I both hated it. We would both fully wake up at each feeding and we were so uncomfortable. About a month postpartum I finally breastfed him lying down, with him on the inside of our bed and we slept better that night than ever! We co–slept until 13-14 months, and we still snuggle in the mornings, now at 3.5 years old. With my daughter, she is a kicker and LOVES her own space, but does not like being alone. I always babywore her and nursed her to sleep but would put her in a bedside bassinet until about six months old. Then we co–slept in our bed until after her first birthday, and her crib was in our room for a few months after that. I always had monitors on both cribs and check on them a few times (at least) a night once in their own room.

“Each baby is different so co-sleeping with each might be different…”

My <3

TRIGGER: As I sat down to finish this post this week, I coincidently saw a post on Facebook of yet another young infant died from SIDS. It frustrates me and upsets me to tears that specialist, doctors and scientists still majority of the time in our country say they cannot know for sure exactly what causes SIDS and disapprove co-sleeping stating they are connected. I’m a journalist and I know better than to contradict the supposedly non-biased facts out there done by these so-called professionals, especially the specialist; however, as a mom, a well-educated, thoughtful, and passionate mom, who uses commonsense (every action has a reaction) I say BS. Because if you do research there are studies and enough data out there that does prove when co–sleeping is done correctly it is the safest form of sleeping for baby. The type of language used in the studies, giving different scenarios of how a baby 0 months–1 year died from SIDS easily confuses the interpretation of the data to put the findings in to a clear answer: Should my baby co–sleep or should he be in a crib?

So peaceful <3

Another factor that confuses the data’s findings is that co-sleeping WITH exclusively breastfeeding saves thousands of babies per year, and “cuts SIDS risk and may cut overall infant death risk in half” – not just co–sleeping on it’s own.
You will find many organizations with conclusive evidence stating while following safe guidelines for proper co–sleeping (and preferably exclusively breastfed), it is what is best and commonly practiced around the world. Organizations such as La Leche League, Breastfeeding USA, and birth professionals and authors such as Ina May Gaskin, McKenna, J. and McDade, T., all support and encourage safe co–sleeping, especially while exclusively breastfeeding.

My baby boy right next to me <3

According to Le Leche League, “The four biggest issues associated with SIDS are 1) smoking, 2) laying a baby facedown for sleep, 3) leaving a baby unattended, and 4) formula feeding.” For majority of babies, these are not always top factors for the chance of SIDS; however, for babies who majority die from SIDS, “it happens in a small group of vulnerable babies who have very specific but undiagnosed health issues.” Therefore, it is unknown if your baby is more vulnerable before, so there is a greater need for a vulnerable baby to be in arms reach of his/her mother to prevent dying from SIDS. Safe co-sleeping provides the biological and instinctual reaction to assist a vulnerable baby and can prevent SIDS. Maybe if our culture accepted and encouraged safe co–sleeping, like in other countries, new and experienced parents would know the benefits of co–sleeping and less babies would die from SIDS.

Breastfeeding and co–sleeping <3

Let us know your experience with breastfeeding and co–sleeping and please practice safe bed–sharing. Much love to you!

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 HT #BreastfeedingWorld 

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Page Rose

I am a 27-year-old WAHM to two intelligent and amazing toddlers (3 and 1.5 years), and two stepdaughters (12.5 and 8.5 years). I am a very active and passionate birth advocate working to change regulations, laws and cultural norms in the U.S. to provide parents to be educated and empowered to know all birth rights and options. I am a proud emergency, unplanned c-section, turned all natural, non-medicated VBAC experienced mama! I am a modern-hippie mama practicing attachment parenting, who loves babywearing and toddlerwearing, and of course breastfeeding! I love to laugh with my amazing husband/best friend and to travel to new places with our beautiful family.
For more of my lifestyle and mommy blogging updates, check out my Instagram page @PRbabywearingMama.

The post Co-Sleeping and Breastfeeding appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

What my Monday morning looked like.

Early Monday morning, on Dec. 1^st, around 2 a.m., my 3-year-old son came into our room, woke me up and climbed into bed with my husband and I. He had been sick with what we thought was a cold since the Tuesday before, but by the fourth night he was wheezy and breathing deep while sleeping. He would wake about half way through the night for two nights but would fall back asleep with us the rest of the night. But by the third night of wheezy breathing (sixth night total of being sick), this early Monday morning, there was just something different and worse this time.
The morning of Dec. 1^st, from 2 a.m. until 6 a.m. felt like many more hours had past because all three of us were falling in and out of sleep, but not actually getting any sleep at all. He was starting to have a really hard time breathing, struggling in fact, and was feeling a little feverish.

Breastfeeding in emergency situations can be very handy and specially nourishing for your children

My babies in arms in a hospital bed. My poor boy.

After getting our son in a steaming shower and calling the on-call nurse by 6:30 a.m., we were told to go to the ER. We were shocked and I felt it was all happening so fast. He seemed fine in the day, almost seemed like he was improving, he just had some minor cold symptoms. By 8 a.m. we were at the ER and back in a room with a doctor and nurses. My husband had to go to work but was going to try and get off early and meet us there, so I told him not to worry and I would keep him updated. Never did I think we would be there all day and he would be admitted to stay the night. With in 15 minutes of being in the ER, he was diagnosed with Croup (severe) and was given breathing treatment and steroids. He was in a lot of pain, exhausted, confused, and just wanted to go home.
I had babyworn my 19-month-old daughter in, so she was with the two of us, in the hospital bed during all of it. Now, I was trying to be prepared and packed a snack bag, but I forgot it in the car in all the chaos. Little Miss and I were starting to really need food even though she had morning nursed already before getting there. The nurses did what they could and brought us a few snacks but we were still hungry.

Breastfeeding in an emergency.

So conveniently, even under stress and with little to no food, I breastfed her all morning! This made caring for my son so much easier because I did not have to worry if my daughter was starving to death and she got what she needed. My daughter stayed calm and helpful (90% of the time), just sitting in the bed with her poor sick brother and myself because she could nurse. She didn’t get grumpy and act out, she didn’t feel left out or ignored, and she didn’t need special attention. All because of breastfeeding! I didn’t need to get out of bed, stop holding my son, stop helping the nurses with him to get or make food or milk for her because of breastfeeding. I am so grateful for being able to breastfeed and sticking with it. I love that because of breastfeeding, I was able to nurture my very sick son in a scary situation, while also nurturing my 19-month-old all by myself!

Our sweet nurse pulling my babies in the hospital’s pediatric wagon after 10 hours of being there. They were getting restless.

Because of breastfeeding, both my babies were taken care of and I felt like a supermom never missing a thing for my babies.

We want to hear from you: What’s your breastfeeding in emergency situations story? Drop us a comment below!

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 HT #BreastfeedingWorld 

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Page Rose

I am a 27-year-old WAHM to two intelligent and amazing toddlers (3 and 1.5 years), and two stepdaughters (12.5 and 8.5 years). I am a very active and passionate birth advocate working to change regulations, laws and cultural norms in the U.S. to provide parents to be educated and empowered to know all birth rights and options. I am a proud emergency, unplanned c-section, turned all natural, non-medicated VBAC experienced mama! I am a modern-hippie mama practicing attachment parenting, who loves babywearing and toddlerwearing, and of course breastfeeding! I love to laugh with my amazing husband/best friend and to travel to new places with our beautiful family.
For more of my lifestyle and mommy blogging updates, check out my Instagram page @PRbabywearingMama.

The post Breastfeeding in Emergency Situations appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

As Hannah did with breastfeeding, she also took to the bottle quickly, which we started when she was eight weeks old. We then started to gradually add formula at twelve weeks old and she took to that with no fuss as well. Now, at six months old, she is starting sippy cups and is so independent that it seems she has naturally outgrown nursing. I feel like I have given her all I can, and again, I feel so lucky that we had a great breastfeeding relationship from the start. So, since this is the end of my “breastfeeding era” (at least until next baby), I thought I would do a post about some of my favorite memories while nursing with my little Hannah-bear.

My Top 5 Breastfeeding Memories

1. Hannah is five weeks old here. My husband and I were headed out to dinner with friends for the first time since Hannah was born. She loved to eat so much, I ended up nursing her before dinner, during dinner, and as soon as we got home from dinner. It was exhausting, but it was a turning point that got us out of the house and made me realise that true friends will not care if you need to feed your baby.                                                                                                                                              
   

   Breastfeeding before a night out with friends

                                                                             

2. This has to be my favorite breastfeeding photo because it is hilarious and we had so much fun on the lake. I was really hesitant about posting this, but then I thought why the hell not? I absolutely loved breastfeeding outside in nature. I’ve nursed Hannah at pools, the beach, on park benches, and on this boat! There is something very refreshing about being outside, nursing, and NOT having to cover yourself up.                                                                                                    
   

   Breastfeeding while pumping on the lake!

                                                                                                                                    

3. Of course, as much as I love breastfeeding outside, it is also nice to do so in the comfort of your own home with your feet up on the couch, watching Netflix. And is there anything better than the cuddles you get after nursing? I don’t think so.                                                                                                                                                
   

   Home sweet home

                                                                                                                     

4. Finally, I have to include the very first time I breastfed Hannah in the hospital after our water birth. I had no clue what to do, but somehow baby Hannah did. Newborn babies are incredible. Together, with a little help from our midwife, we figured everything out and created a strong bond that I never knew I could have with another human being.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
   

   In our birthing suite <3

                                                                                                                                    

    I will always look back and cherish these memories with Hannah. I hope you’ve enjoyed looking back with me. As sad and sweet as it is to end this chapter, I look forward to bonding in different ways with Hannah. We are starting baby-led weaning this month and now that she is bigger, we are doing a lot more fitness activities together that I’ll be writing about in upcoming weeks, so stay tuned!

 We love to hear from you! What are some of your favorite memories while breastfeeding?

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 HT #BreastfeedingWorld 

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Emily Anderson

Originally from New Jersey, but moved to Australia when I was 25. While in Australia, I met my husband and we’ve been married two years now. In April 2015, we had our first child, Hannah. Since having Hannah, I have taken a break from working in real estate and moved to Atlanta, Georgia with our little family. I am learning daily about being a mom and enjoying every minute of bonding with my daughter. I’m excited to share my experiences with other moms who are interested in learning about breastfeeding and other fun mommy stuff!

pramsandlattes.com

The post My Top 4 Breastfeeding Memories appeared first on Breastfeeding World.