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.

My back problems are made up of a combination of scoliosis and major, extensive surgery, which means I can’t wear my babies in certain types of carriers and slings. I was very lucky that my Dad was an osteopath so he showed me the way to carry the babies that was suitable for my back and shoulders. I would 100% recommend that any mummas and papas out there that are thinking of baby-wearing but are worried about their backs should visit an osteopath who can provide help on which way you should wear your carrier.

He gave me two very useful and valuable tips:

1. Where baby as high as you can and as close to you as possible.

2. Use your abdominal muscle to hold your upper back up. Do NOT slouch or transfer the weight onto your lower back as this will lead to problems with your sacroiliac joints which have already been loosened by hormones during your pregnancy (the most common cause of lower back pain in women).

My partner trying to look as suave as possible in the Baby Bjorn whilst we were on holiday in Italy

I did a lot of research and for those with bad backs, I do not recommend carriers such as the Baby Bjorn. I found that they tend to distribute the weight of the baby unevenly and the pressure points put a lot of stress on my neck and shoulders. I also found that ring slings put a lot of stress on one shoulder, which isn’t great for me, considering my shoulders are significantly affected by my scoliosis.

The BEST baby carrier I found was a type of soft structured carrier called the Ergo Baby Carrier. I felt it evenly distributed the weight of my baby between my upper back and hips and the padded shoulder straps gave me more support than any other I’ve tried. There are also so many ways you can wear your baby and I find for my very heavy toddler, the back and hip position are the best.

There are many wonderful blogs on here discussing and recommending the different types of baby slings and carriers, but if you’re cautious with your back then I’d definitely advise visiting your osteopath and talking through with him the best positions for your back. Have fun on your baby-wearing journey and enjoy having your little one so close!

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 Baby-Wearing With a Bad Back appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

I always knew I wanted to breastfeed. I was one of those women that secretly used to think that women that chose not to breastfeed were selfish… until I had my son.

One week in, I completely understood why those women might have given up. I understand that some women may have supply issues, or latch issues and my heart breaks for them and the disappointment they might feel, but what I also now understand, is that breastfeeding is hard, it is really painful at the beginning, and it is extremely time consuming.

The most frustrating thing in the world that I kept reading on EVERY blog those first few weeks was “if you are doing it right, breastfeeding should not hurt”. I met with lactation consultants, I took classes while at the hospital, they kept telling me that my latch was great, but why was it still hurting?

While I do understand that on some level they are right, I also know that your nipples are now being constantly used for something they have never done before and there will be an adjustment period. So if you are finding yourself with your seemingly starving newborn, carousing the internet at 2:30 in the morning with cracked, bleeding nipples trying to figure out what in the world you are doing wrong, I’m here to tell you…maybe nothing.

If you are like me and you’ve watched the YouTube videos, met with LCs, took your classes, called your local La Leche League, and your still coming up empty. Stick with it and in a few weeks you will be on the mend, and in the meantime…

Here are a few Breastfeeding Tips for Nursing a Newborn

1. Breastmilk is a miracle worker: For everything from your baby’s cradle cap or clogged tear duct to your sore nipples, put it on EVERYTHING. It will help to speed your healing even faster than lanolin or nipple cream thanks to its plethora of natural antibodies.
2. Don’t use soap on your nipples while in the shower: This seemed so obvious but it never occurred to me until the on call lactation consultant told me. Soap is drying stuff!
3. Let your nipples air dry as long as possible: The same on-call LC told me this one and I walked around the house topless for an entire day afterward and my scabs were gone! This was the turning point for me. We all know that moisture provides the perfect environment for bacteria. If you don’t have time to air-dry, use your blow dryer on the “cool” setting (also true for the sight of your perineal stitches after a shower!)

Beyond these few tips, be persistent and stick with it. In a few weeks, you will be so glad that you did. If you have to, put post-it notes up around the house reminding you of the benefits for you and baby to help you remember why you are doing this: decreased risk of diabetes, decreased risk of obesity, tells your body to produce the pathogens baby needs when he or she gets sick to help speed healing, it’s an awesome parenting aid as baby gets older, decreased risk of cancer for mom…just to name a few.

Remind yourself that countless other women are up right now, rocking their precious babes, tears streaming down their faces from a combination of the pain and post-partum hormones, and so many others have been in those same seats for centuries before us. We are all in this together so don’t give up without trying your best! 

We love to hear from you, do you have some breastfeeding tips that have not been mentioned which worked for you? Drop us a comment below and let us know! 

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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Hailey Mugica

I’m a stay at home mommy to my precious son Ryker, and a wife to my hunky husband Richard. I remember being completely shocked and discouraged by the difficulty of breastfeeding in those early days so I am so excited to get to come up alongside you and to be a source of encouragement on your breastfeeding journey. I am passionate about breastfeeding, baby-led weaning, baby wearing, and joining women together with the common goal of nurturing our families and homes with a Christ-centered focus. Follow me on Instagram and Pinterest @gracebeyondblog to keep up with our day-to-day.

www.gracebeyondmeasuringspoons.com

The post Breastfeeding Tips for the New Mom appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Picture from Babycenter.com

A few weeks ago I introduced myself to ya’ll and shared my struggles with new parenthood and postpartum depression. I’m happy to say that since then, I’ve been doing a lot of healing, but I still have a long road ahead of me. I haven’t “beat” it yet. I still have bad days. But I keep the Beast locked in the closet, and it only comes out when it’s broken the locks, and busted through the doors and walls. But getting the Beast chained up and shoved in that closet has been no easy feat.. there is lots of self discovery involved.

I’ve come to discover that my biggest challenge and obstacle is myself. I’m standing in my own way of healing. Well, no more! I’m learning that every day I need to set a goal, make a plan and be productive. Some days this may simply mean taking a shower. Other days it means socialization. All I know is that taking it one day at a time, and pushing myself outside of my comfort zones is really having a positive impact.

One of my ventures that has given me purpose is my new Etsy shop. I’ve started to make custom ring slings, and I will soon be adding products to include nursing covers, bibs, and blankets. This business venture has taught me something very valuable though. Every mother just wants to be happy and comfortable, and we need to support each other through that. This is why I’m starting a business. I’m starting small, but hope to touch mothers’ lives by supporting their individual needs.

While my Etsy shop, and blogging for Breastfeeding World has been very therapeutic it lacks personal interaction. I’m still holed up in a dark house all day. So today, thanks to a neighbor who I hope grows into a good friend, I joined MOPS which is a local Mommy group. I can bring Critter, there is a daycare option if you wish (I don’t), and best of all there is in person, adult to adult, woman to woman interaction for about 2 hours every other week.

I was petrified of attending tho meeting

What if I’m awkward? I don’t know anyone! What if no one likes me? Do I really want to do this? Are these women just going to judge me for something? Are they going to tell me how to raise my kid? I don’t wanna go. I don’t wanna wake up. This requires a shower! I should probably stay home.

Well guess what? I was awkward. But I wasn’t the only one. I didn’t know many people.. but I wasn’t the only one. And isn’t that the whole point anyway? Go make friends? Yes. It is! No. No one made me feel judged, and no one offered unsolicited child rearing advice. It didn’t matter if I wanted to go. I had to go. I couldn’t stay home. Guess what else? I actually enjoyed myself. Getting out energized me. I had something to talk to my husband about when he asked how my day went. I didn’t just say, “What do you think?”.

from she knows.com

Mamas, when you’re suffering from Postpartum Depression, and you feel caged up like you can’t go out, or you don’t want to go out… it’s hard, but make like Nike and just do it! I’m so glad I went, and I will continue to go! In fact I’m going to sign up for the other group that meets alternate weeks as well. I was given an opportunity to reflect upon myself, and surround myself with other beautiful mothers who are going through, or have been where I’m at. I have great hopes for this adventure. I hope that I find a new part of myself. I hope to make friends. I hope to learn from others… Did you hear (read) that? I hope. I hope. Hope. I have found hope again. Just when I thought all hope was lost, and just when I thought my life royally sucked… I didn’t fix it all, but I at least found hope.

Now, I challenge you – yes, I’m talking to you, mama. The one wearing the same milk stained shirt for the 3rd day in a row, who may be turning into a vampire from lack of outdoor exposure, wallowing in your dark pit of confusion and despair, YOU – to set a goal, no matter how little, and achieve it. Set a bigger one for tomorrow. Get out of your comfort zone. Be awkward. It’s okay. Just be you. Don’t know who you are anymore? Then go find you.

Leave a comment below to share with us some of your personal challenges and how you’ve overcome them to fight back against the shadows of PPD!

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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Jaimie Zaki

Jaimie is a mom, an Air Force wife, and nurse who grew up in rural Maryland. She has faced many challenges with the transition to motherhood. These challenges however, helped her find her passion for educating and supporting other women throughout their journeys and challenges in breastfeeding, relationships and motherhood. She is really excited to find her voice again by writing for Breastfeeding World and helping spread the good word!

The post Locking the Postpartum Depression Beast in the Closet appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Mastitis diagram taken from Google image search

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For the first few months after my son was born, I would wake up almost every morning with at least one plugged duct.  If I was lucky, I caught it when it was small enough that a nursing session and a quick massage would get rid of it.  Most days, however, were not lucky days and I spent hours dangle nursing, running warm water over my breasts, massaging, pumping, and using warm compresses on repeat.  It often seemed like just when I would clear a plugged duct on one breast, another would pop up on the other breast from being neglected all day!

Plugged duct diagram taken from Google image search

This is the lecithin I take (from Walgreens), but there are several brands to choose from!

Tips for Preventing Plugged Ducts while Breastfeeding

Disclaimer: Please make sure you check with your doctor before taking any medication. We have recommended the Lecithin from a personal experience but please remember that every body is different and reacts differently to a medication. 

Amber Castro

I’m currently a stay-at-home mom to my son who was born in January of 2015. I have my degree in Anthropology and spent the two years before my son was born teaching. After months of struggling with nursing, I was finally able to have the beautiful breastfeeding relationship I dreamed of. These struggles helped me find my passion for helping other mothers in their breastfeeding journeys and guided me to study to become a lactation counselor.

onlifeandleche.wordpress.com

The post Overcoming Reoccurring Plugged Ducts appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

What’s the deal?

Sensory play, aside from being amazingly exciting for kids, and generally a huge mess for adults, is actually extremely beneficial to a childs development and learning processes. 

Its a given that kids are hands on learners. You’re going to be hard pressed to find a toddler who learns by sitting still and being talked at. Try to explain to a child about how snow melts. Now place a clump of snow in his hands. Let him feel the cold, experience how the warmth of his hands turns the snow into water. Which is the better teacher? There is something incredibly soothing about digging your hands into a bin of rice and feeling it fall through your fingers. At the same time, the childs brain is learning about mass displacement, gravity, etc, without even realizing it. Pouring, filling, dumping from cup to cup also encourage fine motor skills.

Experience is always going to be the best teacher.

Too cold to play outside? Drag a bucket of Snow inside!

 While their minds, emotions, and senses are completely engaged in what they are doing, they just think they’re playing! I’ve been caring for kids- both as a nanny and as a Family Childcare Provider- for over 11 years, and I have yet to have heard a child turn down the idea of sensory play. It engages the whole child, their entire minds and bodies centered on the task at hand. It’s also a great medium for encouraging imaginary play. 

The best part is you don’t have to be super-crafty-mom to do it. I’m a big fan of Maria Montessori  and her emphasis of being an observer of the child. Whenever I notice my kids bickering more, fighting, acting out, 9 times out of 10, they are getting bored! Quickly being able to pull out a sensory activity really helps to shake things up with cranky kiddos. Most of the items I use are things already found in my home. No extra trips to hobby lobby for some insane hard to find ingredient. Below I’ll have a list of some really simple sensory play activities.

water play !

When I first opened my daycare, I had a lot of space, but no outside toys. Not so much as a single slide. The kids spent hours playing with a bucket of water. That was it. A bucket of water. Sometimes we’d get really crazy and throw some paintbrushes in it. But mostly, I just sat back and watched them use their imaginations. 

Pinterest can be intimidating, scanning ideas can really help job the imagination, but can also sometimes make you feel inadequate.  Don’t be afraid to step out of the box and make something work for you. You don’t need some crazy handmade sensory table that lights up and is self cleaning. For a long time I used old cake pans and sat each kid at the kitchen table. It took me months before it dawned on me that our train table could be used for more than just trains or building blocks, and now most of our sensory activities are done here. (But outside is my favorite- no muss no fuss!)

And clean up doesn’t have to make you want to pull out your hair, after all, the main reason I proclaim “sensory activity!” Is to give the kids something to focus on (and me a break) But being toddlers, don’t expect too much. 15-20 minutes is pretty great for their tiny attention spans. Any toys, cars, kitchen accessories that were used can easily be dumped in a sink fills with soapy water.

Involve the kids in clean up. You may have to hold your breath- they obviously aren’t going to get everything perfect- but you’ll be surprised how well they really do do. Never do for a child what they can do for themselves. Clean up for my Littles is a part of the play experience. They are proud. They love running back and forth with wet towels to wipe up remnants of shaving cream or flour. It’s a REWARD to see who is allowed to be the “big helper” and run the vacuum. Encouraging the children to not only do for themselves, but do for one another, builds such a sense of self esteem and confidence. 

This list, by no means, touches all the aspects of sensory play or all the fun you can have. I try to keep it as natural (and safely edible) as possible, as it is designed for little ones, who enjoy using ALL their senses in exploring. I have several sensory bins that I keep in clear plastic shoeboxes, themed up, but the majority of these things can be pulled out of the pantry with very little planning, excellent for a rainy day. 

• Flour
• Instant mashed potatoes
• Water
• Ice cubes (I like to freeze toys in a hint block of ice and give the kids various things to chip or try to make it melt)
• Snow
• Rice
• Beans
• Corn kernels
• Oobleck (corn starch and water) 
• Play doh (I enjoy making my own) 
• Shaving cream
• Cloud dough (flour and vegetable oil) 
• Cooked spaghetti (you can dye with food coloring and a splash of oil to keep from sticking) 
• Salt
• Tissue paper, tape, safety scissors 
• Oats
• Sudsy foam (dawn and water in a blender- this is fun to do in batches and color with water colors
• Finger paint
• Cool whip (a good one for babies who you don’t yet trust with shaving cream)

Do your kids do any sensory activities? What’s your favorite? Have any concerns or want any recipes? Leave a comment and I’d love to discuss it! 

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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Lauren Lewis

Lauren Lewis is no stranger to childcare development, having spent over 10 years as a nanny or family childcare provider. She’s the wife of a travel geek, mother of two vivacious children, and has an amazing talent for trailing lost things behind her a la Hansel and Gretel. Her passion for lifting up women and advocating for children pours out in her work as a Central Indiana Event Coordinator, Writer, and Social Media Relations Director for Breastfeeding World. Her life is full of busy, crazy and LOUD. It is full of love and hope, ups and downs. And coffee, always lots of coffee- but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

www.raisinglaurenslittle.wordpress.com

The post The World of Play Through the Senses appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

My baby brothers my fist year of college.

My baby brother loved to be held and would sleep on you through anything. My mom had a BabyBjorn carrier, which other than a hiking babycarrier backpack was pretty much the only mainstream carrier anyone knew about. The Babywearing International, Inc. was still a year away from existence, so access to education on proper and safe babywearing was not even something parents thought about when it came to babywearing. I just knew he loved being in that carrier and so I loved that carrier because he would take his naps in it while I did the dishes and other chores.

My mom would breastfeed my brother from dinnertime until morning, so I fed him formula bottles during the day, and once in awhile he would get stomachaches. When I would babywear him it would always soothe him. After that, I knew I would try with all my might to only breastfeed my babies and of course babywear them! However, I did not know for sometime that I could do both at the same time. It just never occurred to me until I had my first.

In 2012, I was so excited for my baby shower and to receive a similar baby carrier I used with my brother. My mom got me the top of the line BabyBjorn carrier. The instructions said I had to wait until he was a certain weight and age with proper head control to wear it, but I assumed that would happen quickly after birth. Little did I know my little mister had a schedule of his own and came six weeks early. As I mentioned in my previous post, we over came many challenges and obstacles with breastfeeding in the hospital (more on that in another post, so stay tuned!), but what was great was we did kangaroo care. That really got me excited and passionate about what other babywearing options might be out there.

My son a few months old starting to use more SSC options.

I would obsess over any mama babywearing and stare until I could see a nametag or brand sticker on a carrier or wrap. I tried a few carriers and a front wraps until I finally landed on a favorite: the Ergo. By this time my son was already 10 months old and I would take him out to breastfeed. I thought that’s just what I had to do.

My son would always get distracted while nursing out and about, so I would have to use a silly, hot cover, which he would start to grab at, or sit in the car away from everything. I was so desperate for other breastfeeding cover options that I wanted the nursing scarves and any other multipurpose breastfeeding cover I could find. I never thought to use my carrier! Not until I first saw a mama in the early spring of 2013 at our local farmer’s market feeding her son in her Ergo, while she was hands free, helping my husband and I get some sprouts from her booth.

Just finished nursing my son while at a birthday party and had to use that hot nursing cover around my neck.

I was so impressed that her baby was so happy and content and I could not see a thing except his head from the side, but with the hood covering him it was very private. She told me that it was amazing and made it so much easier for them both because she never had to stop what she was doing and he could just eat on demand whenever; yet another reason for me to love babywearing.

What I have tried and experienced with babywearing while breastfeeding:

Wearing my son in our Ergo carrier.

– Stretchy, front wrap: I love to carry newborn and infants in these, and thanks to the stretch it is pretty simple to adjust and breastfeed in them.
– Ringslings: Great for all ages and very easy to breastfeed in these; however, if you prefer more privacy, these are a little more open, but you can use the tail of the fabric to cover.
– Woven wrap: Depending on the carry (breastfeed with front carry) and tie you use, these can be trickier to nurse in, but still a great babywearing and breastfeeding option. Wovens just take more practice and a more experienced babywearer to get the hang of it.
– All SSC (Soft Shell Carriers): There are A LOT of SSC options out there, so do your research and try to find a botique or local BWI group to try different kinds on to see which one might work best for you and your little. These, I think are the easiest to start breastfeeding and babywearing in. They offer comfort, privacy and can easily be adjust very quickly with buckle straps.

I am not a babywearing educator; however, I am a mama just like you who LOVES to babywear and breastfeed. Tell me your babywearing and breastfeeding story in the comments!

Don’t leave without checking out my previous post: “The Almighty Tandem Breastfeeding”

Don’t forget 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 with Babywearing Love appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Instead let’s talk about the let-down Reflex, a part of breastfeeding I never heard of, not at all, until it had been happening to me for some time. And I really wish I had known about it. I’ll let you know why directly.

Common sense tells you milk will be coming from (around about) your nipple, but the  mechanics of it were mysterious to me until it applied directly to my life. Picture a Looney Tunes style drawing of a female breast – is there a hole in the nipple? I guess? Sure. Milk comes out of that.

In actuality, of course, it’s a complicated biological process I do not fully understand (or need to) that’s been honed over millions of years.

When you feel that tingly let-down, what you are experiencing is an amazing reflex which tells your body that it needs to release milk now. It means your breasts are ready- either because the baby has begun nursing, or because you’ve heard some other baby cry somewhere and your body is a little confused. Occasionally it may just be because you saw a photo of a kitten or a Subaru commercial that somehow made you think of your infant (an experience not unlike being Rick Rolled.)

Don’t worry, your Breastmilk Let-Down is Never Gonna Let You Down

Not every woman feels her breastmilk let-down happening. But I did, and this is part of why I am moved to mention it.

The let-down HURT.

Just in the early days, and not for very long, but for 30 seconds or so after latch on I really couldn’t stand to be spoken to. I had to just clench my jaw and wait for it to pass.

But the real problem was I didn’t know what it was. I thought it was a bad latch, possibly damaging my nipples. And no matter what I did it kept happening. It did hurt, sure, but the doubt that came along with it made it far worse. Once I understood it was actually evidence of a good latch I realized what an asset it could be and the pain stopped seeming alarming, eventually drifting out of my consciousness. Pain can be tricky that way. And my body was adapting to breastfeeding. The let downs became expected, they stopped hurting. I rarely even feel anything now.

If you don’t feel yours you can tell when you’re having one because the nipple you’re not feeding from will also release some milk.

This is why I say it was an asset – feeling the let down reflex helped me feel confident my baby was nursing successfully. I had a few let downs each feeding, a sharp discomfort above my nipple, so I knew the latch must be working and my supply increasing. Once I had some comfortable nursing bras and wooly breast pads, the light pressure on the non-nursing nipple prevented leaks and eased the feeling of let down. I just felt a little twinge, and once my milk supply had established itself, I didn’t feel much of anything anymore.

Now, the reason I so wish I’d known about the let down reflex right from the start is the common advice you’ll see all over the web and hear often: “If you’re doing it right, breastfeeding doesn’t hurt”. Because I was doing it right! It hurt anyway – just for a while, and THAT’S OKAY. I needlessly worried and looked for other explanations (yeast, plugged ducts, mastitis?!) when really, relaxation helped more than anything else. Luckily I didn’t go to the doctor or I might have been prescribed medication I didn’t need.

So breastfeeding was uncomfortable for a while.

For me. And surely for some other women. If you are one of those women and you’re reading this, I can tell you it wasn’t a problem for long and I barely remember it. Worrying about it was far worse. Of course if you can get through childbirth, well, a strong let down reflex? Never gonna make you cry.

We love to hear from you so drop us a comment below with your thoughts on what Danny manifested!

Don’t leave without checking out my previous post: “Nursing Blind”

Don’t forget 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 Never Gonna Let You Down- The Surprising Secret Behind Your l Let-Down Reflex appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Sharing this article is super exciting for us but first let us tell you more about our guest author. We reached out to Danny after seeing his amazing babywearing pictures on his Instagram account: @DannyTheBabywearingDad. He is a babywearing advocate who loves sharing his passion in social media. We knew we had to have him share with us some valuable thoughts for all of our readers so we asked him:

Breastfeeding, has it ruined your bond as a father?

First off I want to say that breastfeeding is so beautiful and I want to send major love to everyone who partakes in it.

Being a father, at the very beginning I was a little nervous about how it may take away from the time with my daughter, Luna. Not only was I wrong but I became more passionate about my support towards it. Breastfeeding takes 0% out of the bond that I have with my child. The only way your bond can lose strength is if you allow it.

My wife has been nursing my little one for two entire years, every single day and she has my full support. Breast milk is so amazing and not only does it make a mother and child have a great bond, it also nourishes the child. I mean, it can even help cure ear infections! I always refer breastmilk as liquid gold because that’s exactly what it is.

Nothing matters more to me than the health of my family, and breastmilk really helps out in that department. As my wife nurses I’m usually always around and close to her so in a sense I’m a big part of breastfeeding my child also. I show support by rubbing my child’s back, and I love to rub my wife’s back as she nurses our child as well. This shows my daughter that even though I can’t physically nurse her I’m still a part of the process.

For you fathers or mothers out there that may think breastfeeding may hurt your bond I hope this really can help you out and reassure you that everything will be just fine, breastfeeding will not diminish your bond with your child. You create your own bond and nothing can stop you. Not breastfeeding, Not pumping, Not anything.

Men and women can always help by being right next to their partners when the other is doing something. Support is fundamental and that is worth a ton to your partner. Trust me. Breastfeeding has impacted me in such a way that I try to publicly support and advocate for it every chance I get. It’s so powerful and natural. I see absolutely NOTHING wrong with breastfeeding your child. Breastfeed on world! 

“As a man, Husband and Dad I was on edge when my wife decided to breastfeed our child. I was afraid that I would have to lash out at anyone who side eyed her or said something disrespectful. Now I feel comfortable and have zero fear. It disgusts me that we have to normalize something that is pure and so NORMAL! The ones who have something negative to say need to normalize their brains and get with the fuxking program. Breastfeeding is amazing. Breastfeeding is life. This is a bond between a Queen and her children. If you want to stare and point a finger make sure it’s in a mirror because you are the problem. This is what love looks like. I will forever support breastfeeding. I will forever support women. I will forever support mothers. I hope you will too.” – Danny the Babywearing Dad.

You can follow and leave Danny some babywearing love on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Youtube and Periscope: @TheDannyAndCleoShow.

We love to hear from you so drop us a comment below with your thoughts on what Danny manifested!

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 Guest Post: A Father’s Thought on Breastfeeding appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

The logistics of our travel ended up going better than I had hoped.  My son was eager to nurse during take off and landing, he slept the majority of the time in the air, and baby wearing made navigating the airport a breeze… all in all, my son did great and we arrived in Atlanta relatively unscathed!

My main struggle on this trip was not a crying baby on a plane, but a wardrobe lacking in formal options that have easy nursing access.

Finding nursing friendly clothing options… an easy task? Not!

Since giving birth to my son, the majority of my day-to-day outfits consist of yoga pants and a nursing tank.  I have worn a dress MAYBE twice in the past seven months, and both of those times were when I was out without my son.  If a dress does not have the right cut, it can be nearly impossible to breastfeed in without taking the whole dress off!

So I knew exactly what style of dress I was looking for when I began shopping: one with easy boob access that didn’t cost an arm and a leg (X2 since I needed one for both the rehearsal dinner and the wedding).  What I thought would be a quick trip to Ross ended up being a two week, three city wide shopping journey.

I currently live in a small town with limited shopping options, but I covered all the bases here first… and I came up empty-handed.  I did not find a single dress that I could easily breastfeed in!  The next town over has a bigger mall so I checked out all the major stores there.  While I didn’t find anything that was obviously breastfeeding friendly, I did find a dress that I was able to alter to meet my needs.

I have seen a lot of dresses in this style lately and figured that I should be able to cut two small holes for breastfeeding access and have the flap of extra fabric cover them. I added stitches around the holes to try to keep them from tearing further.

I am by no means a seamstress, so don’t judge my final product!

Now after my functional Pinterest-fail was complete, I still needed a second dress.  This time I drove two and a half hours to my hometown of San Antonio, Texas and SCOURED the malls!  I found that the majority of dresses in style right now have a swoop-neck style, rather than the deep V needed for easy breastfeeding access.  After a full day of shopping and coming up empty-handed, I returned to my in-laws’ house and shopped at my sister-in-law’s closet.  Luckily she had a dress that met my needs (and even matched my Sakura Bloom ring sling)!

While I ended up being essentially unsuccessful in my search for a formal dress with easy breastfeeding access, my eyes were opened to the struggle many women face in dressing stylish, while still having functional pieces that will allow easy nursing.  I have decided to start taking the (baby)-steps to creating a nursing-friendly wardrobe that consists of more than t-shirts and yoga pants.  I’ll check back in a few weeks and will hopefully have some progress to show!

We love hearing from you! What are your go-to, breastfeeding-friendly pieces in your wardrobe?

Don’t leave without checking out my previous post: “How a bottle saved my breastfeeding relationship”

Don’t forget 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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Amber Castro

I’m currently a stay-at-home mom to my son who was born in January of 2015. I have my degree in Anthropology and spent the two years before my son was born teaching. After months of struggling with nursing, I was finally able to have the beautiful breastfeeding relationship I dreamed of. These struggles helped me find my passion for helping other mothers in their breastfeeding journeys and guided me to study to become a lactation counselor.

onlifeandleche.wordpress.com

The post Nursing Friendly Clothing Options appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

From itsgravybaby.com

Congratulations! You’re pregnant! You’ve been educating yourself on all things baby and have come to the decision you want to breastfeed. Good for you! Breastfeeding is a wonderful way to ensure your baby has the best nourishment, but also a great way to nurture all her emotional and physical needs.

You’re probably wondering though, What all do I need to buy to have a successful, long nursing relationship?

Well since the dawn of day, women have nursed without all kinds of fancy gadgets, so really? You need nothing but what the good Lord gave ya. But let’s be real. It’s 2015! You’re a busy woman, and maybe even going back to work soon… you need gadgets and gear.

They make a thousand products from pumps, to pads, to shields and more. They even have breastmilk dipsticks to test your milk for alcohol before feeding baby. Amazing!

However, every woman does not need every product. The following are some products that almost all breastfeeding mothers will find useful:

• Breast Pump
• Breast Pads
• Nipple Cream
• Nursing Bras

Breast Pump

There are many kinds of breast pumps out there. You may be thinking We’re going to exclusively breastfeed, why do I need a pump?

A pump is great for when you’re engorged in the beginning. Maybe you will have an oversupply and need to pump. Maybe you want to donate milk. Or maybe you just want to have an emergency freezer stock if for any reason you were no longer able to breastfeed. You might need to pump bottles for when you’re working. Pumps can even be used to increase low supplies. There are all kinds of reasons you will want to have some kind of pump (manual, or electric) on hand.

There are many options, but I will tell you about my experiences as I can only speak for what I’ve used.

       Medela Pump In Style Advanced

From Medelabreasteedingus.com

I have the Medela Pump In Style Advanced electric pump that I got from Target. This pump typically does a great job at getting milk out, for me. It is the only electric pump I have used. It has a great reputation and lives up to it. The kit you buy comes with everything you need to start out. As long as you clean and replace parts properly, the Medela PISA is a wonderful pump.

It comes with a battery pack (4 AA batteries needed) that in my opinion is a joke. Suction is much weaker with battery use. And the batteries (I’ve used all different brands) die quickly.

Also it is marketed as “hands free” but that is only if you have a bustier (theirs or homemade). The bustier, however, is not included in the starter kit.

       Manual Pump

I also have a yellow Medela plunger that attaches to the back of the “horn” for manual pumping. This little device was given to me when I first met with my Lactation Consultant. It works really well to shove in the diaper bag just in case I might need to relieve a little build up for any reason. I had an oversupply problem for a while so I was making more than Critter could eat and I needed relief.  On some occasions I get more with the manual than the pump because the suction is a bit different.

       Hand Expression

Of course there’s always good ol’ fashioned hand expression. This takes a bit of practice, but almost any time I pump with the above products, I finish up with hand expression and get another 1/2oz -1oz out. Hand expression can take time, and practice and be messy sometimes, but it is way more effective (though maybe less efficient) than using a pump.

        Breast Pads

There are many, many different nursing pads out there from washable to disposable. I personally have only used the Medela disposables and LillyPadz, and this is what I thought:

       Medela Disposables

I used the kind that had a sticky back to hold the pad in place in the cup of the bra. I loved them. I really didn’t have any issues with them except that I went through them too quickly! After 2 boxes of 60pads (less than a 30 day supply per box) I found out that Target sold these in a box of 120, and that is how I recommend you buy these.

       LillyPadz

These were recommended to me by another mom. They are a silicone shell that cups over your nipple and can be worn in the water and more, which makes them great for swimming. They are a great concept and very comfy and natural feeling. You don’t feel any bulk in your bra. They are marketed to be leak free, yet my biggest issue was leakage. However, this may have been due to using them when I was still engorged and battling oversupply and strong, frequent let downs.

This product needs proper cleaning and storage, which is easy. However, if you fail to do this, they will get very yucky. I let mine sit on the counter once and they were covered in dust and dog hair because EVERYTHING sticks to them.

Also, be aware that products like this can NOT be used if you are prone to or are dealing with Thrush. The moist environment is prime real estate for that nasty yeast.

Nipple Creams

I’m going to tell you right now, you NEED nipple cream. Especially if you have as sensitive skin as I do. I started out with the Lasinoh Lanolin Ointment… It did nothing for me. Many moms swear by it and other commercial ointments, but for me the only thing that has worked well is Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. The Coconut Oil has not only been soothing and relieving, it also helps prevent and treat thrush, which I believe we have battled (undiagnosed). As soon as I start noticing symptoms, I make sure I’m using Coconut Oil and the symptoms disappear in a day or two.

Nursing Bras

From Motherhood Maternity

Nursing bras are important for easy breast access. I love the Motherhood Maternity bras. They have a soft, sports bra looking one that is very comfortable. I only have 2 qualms with it. 1. It’s FULL coverage, so I can’t wear it with everything (and I’d love to because its soooo comfy!). 2. The cup pads inside tend to fold and come out in the wash and I find that very inconvenient and frustrating.

I also have Motherhood’s fancier underwire nursing bras. These are nice because you still feel sexy and you can wear them with almost anything. The problem is with the underwire. You MUST be cautious with underwire when nursing, as underwire has been linked to an increased risk for developing mastitis.

I briefly used a weird combo of a soft cup and underwire bra and it was horribly uncomfortable. The only good thing was this particular style had a piece of material covering the top of my breast, so I didn’t feel totally exposed when nursing. I would love if Motherhood added this feature to their awesome bras!

Of course there are many, many more products and brands out there, but these are the basics with my personal opinions attached. Hopefully, this insight can help you find product that will work for you!

What items could you not survive nursing without? What items did you think you would love, but ended up not needing? Comment below to let us other moms in on your product favorites, tips and secrets!

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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Jaimie Zaki

Jaimie is a mom, an Air Force wife, and nurse who grew up in rural Maryland. She has faced many challenges with the transition to motherhood. These challenges however, helped her find her passion for educating and supporting other women throughout their journeys and challenges in breastfeeding, relationships and motherhood. She is really excited to find her voice again by writing for Breastfeeding World and helping spread the good word!

The post Your Breastfeeding Toolbox appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

The. Worst.

Let me set the scene. I run a family childcare home. Which is a fancy way of saying I babysit in my house. But I consider myself a professional, and I see this as a career that I love, so I say Family Childhood Home.

I love it. That doesn’t mean that I’m not exhausted at the end of the day though. I work 11.5 hours a day; cleaning, cooking, creating, snuggling, laughing, kissing boo boos, mediating arguments… Anyhow, you get the idea.

I should also add that my husband works in the evenings.

As wonderful as he is, as much as he contributes to our family and our Littles, I am still “on” from 6:30 in the morning until my kids go to bed at night. So by the time bedtime rolls around I’m ready for some quiet and some Netflix. If I’m feeling really wild, I may even have some ice cream.

My son, who is coming up on three months old, has been an amazing sleeper. 12 hours at night from 8 weeks old. He starts his little bedtime routine a little after 7 and is out by 7:45. Any later than 8 and he voices his displeasure.

My daughter, however, is a whole different creature.

Once she got past her fourth trimester, until she was about 2, she was a delightful sleeper. But now, at three, my Threenager despises going to sleep. If I don’t lay with her, she will guaranteed get out of bed a dozen times.

But if I do lie with her, her little brain is such a busy one that it has a very difficult time winding down. The singing, talking, wiggling, kicking, talking… It’s very sweet, but at the end of a long day, my tired brain can’t compute.

Let’s just suffice it to say, my legendary patience with kids is about nil at that point.

I have read all the books on infant sleep.

I have tried the whole “don’t say a word and walk them back to the room.”

I have stuck to my guns

I have given in

I have yelled

I have rationalized

I have begged

I have snuggled

I have bribed

And after many tears on both our parts, we just don’t have any success having a peaceful bedtime.

Now I love kids, and I consider myself a bit of a kid expert. <Enter daddy pig’s voice in my head, “I am an expert at children-ing.”> But when it comes to bedtime with Imp, I’m at a loss.

And for some reason, tonight, I. Am. Done.

All evening, every two minutes she is back out of her room. By about 10pm, (taking into consideration that her bedtime is 8:30), I sit downstairs. I scream into a pillow. I text-vent to The Hubs at work using some choice swear words.

He responds, “Oh I wish I was there, I would lay with her.”

So I rain hellfire down on poor dear Hubs- “How DARE YOU think you can do a better job than I have? I’d like to see you do this on your own every day.”

I scream in the pillow some more, and look who is up again!!

I calmly walk my little Imp back to her room.  We sit down and I explain,”Look, I love you. I love spending time with you. I understand you want to spend time with me, too. You get to spend time with me All Day. Anytime you want., we can have snuggle time. But the when the sun goes down, and you go to bed, it’s mommy time. I need time for me so I can be a good mommy when it’s time to have time for you. Now you are going to stay in bed and go to sleep. We will snuggle in the morning.”

“Ok mommy, I will!”

Huge sigh of relief. I did it. She did it. Now I can catch up on Breaking Bad. (Don’t judge. We all have our guilty pleasures). Twenty minutes in, and it’s still quiet. I decide to go peek on her, kiss her sleeping face so I feel a little less guilty for feeling so frustrated.

But she’s not in there when I go to her room.

My heart tightens as I hurry to my room. And there she is, wide awake, waiting patiently for me to come into MY bed. I am simultaneously amused and chagrined.

I sigh.

And I crawl into bed.

Now, I know this too shall pass. I know a day will come when she will no longer want mommy snuggles, no longer fight me to go to sleep, no longer beg me to lay with her for “five more minutes”. I will miss the little snuffle sound she makes as she sucks her thumb in her sleep, the smell of her shampoo as she snuggles her head into my arm. I also know that we are both better people in the morning when we have rested well. I know that we will apologize, and hug, and move on with our day. She will know that she has a mom that is human, who gets frustrated, who makes mistakes. Hopefully they day will come when I sweetly kiss her brow, and she whispers goodnight as she dozes peacefully snuggling her blanket.

Or not

We will muddle through anyhow.

Do you struggle with bedtime with your little one? How do you handle it?

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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Lauren Lewis

Lauren Lewis is no stranger to childcare development, having spent over 10 years as a nanny or family childcare provider. She’s the wife of a travel geek, mother of two vivacious children, and has an amazing talent for trailing lost things behind her a la Hansel and Gretel. Her passion for lifting up women and advocating for children pours out in her work as a Central Indiana Event Coordinator, Writer, and Social Media Relations Director for Breastfeeding World. Her life is full of busy, crazy and LOUD. It is full of love and hope, ups and downs. And coffee, always lots of coffee- but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

www.raisinglaurenslittle.wordpress.com

The post Bedtime Battles: True Confessions Of a Very Tired Mom appeared first on Breastfeeding World.