So you want to breast feed, congratulations! Breast feeding is one of the most precious gifts you can give your baby, whether they get 1 day of breast milk or 1 year of breast milk. I am sure you have imagined nursing your baby and all of the bonding that goes along with it. Before your baby comes there are a couple things I wish someone had told me about breast feeding.
#1 Be prepared for pain. Breast feeding is hard, it takes a lot of out you and it can be very painful at the beginning. You will read so much information about how it shouldn't hurt if the baby is latched correctly...but it will more than likely hurt regardless. I was in so much pain the first 2 weeks after my baby girl was born. My nipples even cracked making every latch a tear jerker. The good news is that with a proper latch and time the pain goes away. My lactation consultant told me things would get better after two weeks. She was right. two weeks to the day, the pain subsided.
#2 Be prepared for incredible thirst or hunger. Make sure you have a stash of healthy snacks and cups with straws. Some women find that they get very hungry with nursing or very thirsty. You are burning calories when you breastfeed, so it only makes sense that you get hungry or thirsty. I kept grapes and trail mix close by. The cup with a straw was great. I needed both hands to breastfeed at the beginning so a cup with a straw with water in it was my best friend! The straw just made everything so easy!
#3 Make sure you have a support system. Breastfeeding is hard, it can be frustrating at the beginning, and it hurts at the beginning. For something so natural, it can be so hard, and it is something that both you and your baby need to learn. Having a good support system behind you can make the experience better. Make sure your significant other is on board with your decision to breastfeed.
#4 Make sure you have the equipment and storage you need. The first thing you should have is a good breast pump. Whether you buy or rent one, this can be your best friend. Renting can get expensive if you plan to nurse for awhile, so I recommend purchasing a good pump. Mine has more than paid for itself at this point! Also, have breast milk storage bags, breast milk freezer trays, or breast milk storage bottles ready. The last thing you want to be thinking about is where you are going to put your breast milk after you pump it.
A good breast feeding pillow was a must for me. I had a Boppy and it made my nursing experience so much easier. It was that extra hand I needed when I first started breast feeding
#5 Make sure you have access to pain relief. You will want to have some pain relief on hand. For me, Lanolin was my best friend (or should I say breast friend? I know, corny joke)Some women swear by Soothies which are gel pads that have a cooling effect. Cold cleaned cabbage leaves are also a great way to deal with the pain of engorgement and they are cheap too!
#6 Have the contact information for your doctor, the nurse and lactation consultant on hand for any questions you might have. These people can offer a lot of help when it comes to breast feeding and they also have a lot of useful information.
Sara
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Mother's Checklist Before Calling The Doctor
Every parent knows the feeling of helplessness when their child is ill. Second guessing every move you make. The nurses on call become my best friend when my children are sick. Never hesitate to call your doctor when in doubt. A parent's intuition is a fairly reliable source. But before calling the doctor, be sure to have all your child's symptoms ready in a list so you can provide the information to the doctor and they can easily help you determine what is wrong with your baby before jumping to conclusions. Below is a checklist of items to try and have ready before making the call to the doctor or nurse.
1) Temperature. Check your baby's temperature more than once. I usually try to have an hour or more of temperature readings ready. Depending on what your baby is doing, their temperature can be altered, such as if they are playing verses sleeping. If child seems to be trembling like they have the chills, they probably are running a fever.
2) Behavior. Has your child been their usual self? You can't just say agitated, because some children are agitated in nature all the time. Monitor how your baby's behavior has changed from its usual state. Are they crying more than usual? Less energy, just not him or herself.
3) Breathing. Is your baby having difficulty breathing? Are they coughing? Again, are they breathing differently than usual?
4) Sleeping. Has your child been sleeping like usual or are they sleeping longer or less. Are they waking up throughout the night more often than usual?
5) Runny Nose. Does your baby have a stuffy or runny nose? What color is the discharge? Do they have a cough? Is their cough a dry cough or are they trying to clear their throat?
6) Appetite. Is your baby eating like he / she normally does? Are they eating more? Less?
7) Skin color. Is your child's skin pale, flushed, almost gray? Are they sweaty to touch? Remember to take into account what your child's skin usually is. My little girl has pale, fair toned skin (like her mother) and her hands are always sweaty. Does your child have a rash?
8) Eyes. Are they eyes watering more often than usual? Are they discharging? What color is the discharge? Do they seem glassy or reddened? Is your child scratching them like their eyes itch?
9) Diaper. Have their diapers been normal. How many wet diapers in a day? More than usual? Less?
10) Time. How long have the symptoms been lingering?
11) Mouth. Could your child be teething? Are their gums red or swollen from teeth trying to break through? Are they any other red or white spots inside their mouth? Teething adds a whole new level to driving a parent crazy. Each child has different symptoms and could seem like they are tremendously sick, yet its just teeth. When my little girl was teething her diapers were horrendous and her right eye always discharged like a plugged tear duct.
12) Ears. Has your child been pulling at their ears? Are their ears discharging more / less than usual?
Please keep in mind these are simple guidelines I like to follow and have helped me considerably along the way with my many calls to the doctor.
Andrea
1) Temperature. Check your baby's temperature more than once. I usually try to have an hour or more of temperature readings ready. Depending on what your baby is doing, their temperature can be altered, such as if they are playing verses sleeping. If child seems to be trembling like they have the chills, they probably are running a fever.
2) Behavior. Has your child been their usual self? You can't just say agitated, because some children are agitated in nature all the time. Monitor how your baby's behavior has changed from its usual state. Are they crying more than usual? Less energy, just not him or herself.
3) Breathing. Is your baby having difficulty breathing? Are they coughing? Again, are they breathing differently than usual?
4) Sleeping. Has your child been sleeping like usual or are they sleeping longer or less. Are they waking up throughout the night more often than usual?
5) Runny Nose. Does your baby have a stuffy or runny nose? What color is the discharge? Do they have a cough? Is their cough a dry cough or are they trying to clear their throat?
6) Appetite. Is your baby eating like he / she normally does? Are they eating more? Less?
7) Skin color. Is your child's skin pale, flushed, almost gray? Are they sweaty to touch? Remember to take into account what your child's skin usually is. My little girl has pale, fair toned skin (like her mother) and her hands are always sweaty. Does your child have a rash?
8) Eyes. Are they eyes watering more often than usual? Are they discharging? What color is the discharge? Do they seem glassy or reddened? Is your child scratching them like their eyes itch?
9) Diaper. Have their diapers been normal. How many wet diapers in a day? More than usual? Less?
10) Time. How long have the symptoms been lingering?
11) Mouth. Could your child be teething? Are their gums red or swollen from teeth trying to break through? Are they any other red or white spots inside their mouth? Teething adds a whole new level to driving a parent crazy. Each child has different symptoms and could seem like they are tremendously sick, yet its just teeth. When my little girl was teething her diapers were horrendous and her right eye always discharged like a plugged tear duct.
12) Ears. Has your child been pulling at their ears? Are their ears discharging more / less than usual?
Please keep in mind these are simple guidelines I like to follow and have helped me considerably along the way with my many calls to the doctor.
Andrea
Thursday, February 18, 2010
February Freebies! - Feburary 18th Edition
Pregnancy
Free Sample of Be Nice Prenatal Drink Mix in Lemonade and Berrylicious
Babies!
Free Sample of Pampers Dry Max Diapers from Sams Club
Not a member of Sam's Club? Join P&G Brand Saver and get free Pampers Dry Max and Coupons!
All Things Mom
Free Sample of Dove Intensive Damage Therpy
Free Sample of Caribbean Therapy Body Cream from Aveda
Free Classical Favorites Sampler from Amazon
Free Sample of Olay Total Effects Body Wash from Wal Mart (via Freebies4Mom)
Fekkai shampoo or glossing cream from Wal Mart
Crest 3D White Strips via Freebies4Mom
Free Fragrance Sampler from Victoria's Secret when you become a member of Pink Nation
Free Berres Brothers Coffee Sample use the code 21RR
Free SeaPak Recipe Book
Free Tropical Chewy Lemonheads
Burt's Bees Toothpaste
Free Tide Fresh Breeze Sample and coupons from P & G
FREE CitraClear Dishwasher Softener Sample
Toddlers
Under Jams from Wal Mart
Contests/Giveaways
Famous Amos $10,000 Kitchen Makeover sign up and use the code 76677-97998
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Great Toddler Snacks
Toddlers seem to be hungry all the time for snacks, meals can be a different story. Sometimes finding a quick, healthy snack for your toddler can be a challenge. The next time you're at the grocery store, pick up some the below snacks and have them ready the next time your toddler comes calling.
Got some other great toddler snack ideas? Share them with the rest of us by commenting below.
Andrea
- Kellogg's Yogos Rollers
- Teddy Grahams Trail Mix
- Ants On A Log (celery, peanut butter & raisins)
- Cheese & Crackers
- Jello with fresh fruit added
- Yogurt w/ fresh fruit added
- Fruit salad
- Gerber Graduates Granola Bars
- Fruit Snacks (be sure to keep an eye out on the sugar counts)
- Freeze Dried or Dehydrated Fruit
- Goldfish Crackers
- Fruit Kabobs (always a hit with kids)
- Fresh fruit smoothies (Nickjr.com has some great recipes)
Got some other great toddler snack ideas? Share them with the rest of us by commenting below.
Andrea
Monday, February 8, 2010
5 Fun Kids Activities for Valentines Day
With Valentines Day right around the corner, you may be trying to think of fun Valentines Day activities for the kids. Here are a couple simple, and fun Valentines Day projects that will keep the kids occupied, and make great gifts for loved ones!
1. Make Valentines Day Cookies.
Make your own Heart sugar cut-out cookies or buy the pre-made sugar cookie dough and cut the cookies into fun valentines day shapes. Then let the kids use frosting and sprinkles to decorate the cookies! Check out Grandma's Recipe for Cut-Out Sugar Cookies.
2. Make Valentines day goody bags!
Instead of the traditional store bought valentines that your kids pass out at school, create your own Valentines Day goody bags! This year in my 4 year olds goody bags we included temporary tattoos, Fruit by the Foot, bubbles and a couple pieces of candy.
3. Create Valentines Day themed Memory or Go Fish card games.
Pink or White index cards work great for this. You will need different shades of red, pink, and purple paper (2 sheets of each). Now tape two pieces of the same color paper together. Ask your kids to draw valentines day shapes on the paper. Then cut out the shapes and you will have 2 identical shapes in the same color! Then glue these shapes, one shape per card) together and let dry. Give Each shape a name, like "Big Pink Heart" or "Red Cupid". Now you have a fun Valentines Day version of Memory or Go Fish!
4. Make a Valentines Day picture frame for someone you love!
Buy a blank picture frame that you can find in the craft section of most stores. Set the kids up with paint, cut out shapes, glitter, puffy paint, ribbons, and pipe cleaners. Let them decide how they want to decorate their frame and who they want to give it to. You will most likely need to do this craft in a couple steps. To make things easier, pre-paint the frames before you give them to the kids to decorate. Use a hot glue gun or regular glue to help stick on the different shapes, ribbon, etc. Just make sure to stick with the non-toxic items!
5. Make your own Valentines Day Cards
Granparents, Moms, Dads, and friends all love getting home made valentines day cards. Cut card stock paper and fold to the size of a typical card or smaller. (This really depends on the size envelope you have if you are sending the cards.) Gather stickers, glitter, markers, and cut outs for the kids and let them create their own valentines day card. This is something that can be fun for everyone! The ladies at Mommy Headquarters are offering our readers the chance to win all three of our featured cards!
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To win all three homemade valentines day cards (a $15 value) become a fan of Mommy Headquarters on Facebook and post a comment to add your entry. Contest ends Tuesday February 9th, 2010 at Midnight CST.
For additional entries:
1. Make Valentines Day Cookies.
Make your own Heart sugar cut-out cookies or buy the pre-made sugar cookie dough and cut the cookies into fun valentines day shapes. Then let the kids use frosting and sprinkles to decorate the cookies! Check out Grandma's Recipe for Cut-Out Sugar Cookies.
2. Make Valentines day goody bags!Instead of the traditional store bought valentines that your kids pass out at school, create your own Valentines Day goody bags! This year in my 4 year olds goody bags we included temporary tattoos, Fruit by the Foot, bubbles and a couple pieces of candy.
3. Create Valentines Day themed Memory or Go Fish card games.
Pink or White index cards work great for this. You will need different shades of red, pink, and purple paper (2 sheets of each). Now tape two pieces of the same color paper together. Ask your kids to draw valentines day shapes on the paper. Then cut out the shapes and you will have 2 identical shapes in the same color! Then glue these shapes, one shape per card) together and let dry. Give Each shape a name, like "Big Pink Heart" or "Red Cupid". Now you have a fun Valentines Day version of Memory or Go Fish!
4. Make a Valentines Day picture frame for someone you love!
Buy a blank picture frame that you can find in the craft section of most stores. Set the kids up with paint, cut out shapes, glitter, puffy paint, ribbons, and pipe cleaners. Let them decide how they want to decorate their frame and who they want to give it to. You will most likely need to do this craft in a couple steps. To make things easier, pre-paint the frames before you give them to the kids to decorate. Use a hot glue gun or regular glue to help stick on the different shapes, ribbon, etc. Just make sure to stick with the non-toxic items!
5. Make your own Valentines Day Cards
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To win all three homemade valentines day cards (a $15 value) become a fan of Mommy Headquarters on Facebook and post a comment to add your entry. Contest ends Tuesday February 9th, 2010 at Midnight CST.
For additional entries:
- follow @Mommyheadqrtrs on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Make sure to leave a comment on this post with your Twitter name.
- follow our blog and comment with your email address.
Valentine Heart Cut-Out Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt
Place dough in the refrigerator for 10 - 15 minutes. The chilling helps the dough stay together a bit better. Flour coat a clean surface. Roll out half the dough until 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. Cut your shapes out. Re-roll and cut out your cookies until all the dough is used.
Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes. If you have thicker cookies, bake for 12 minutes. Cool completely and decorate away!!
Andrea
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Watch What You Eat, Some Foods May Contribute to Infertility
A disease called Celiac Disease causes the digestive system to be damaged when foods that contain gluten are ingested. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barely and rye. You might be wondering how this applies to you...well it may or it may not. Many men and women have Celiac Disease but do not know it because symptoms are very slight or non existent. People with untreated Celiac disease have been shown to have a harder time conceiving. A higher rate of miscarriages as well as preterm births is also present with those affected by untreated Celiac disease.
Women who have the disease may have irregular periods, start menstruating at a later point in their life and stop menstruating at an earlier point in life than average women. Men affected by the disease may have abnormal sperm including irregularly shaped sperm and low sperm count. All of these factors can affect the ability of couples to conceive and to successfully carry a baby. The disease may also make the person suffering from it feel ill and they may not have sex as much as they would otherwise. Amount of sex does matter when trying to get pregnant.
These findings are interesting, and may help explain infertility in some couples. It is wise to talk to a doctor about any symptoms that may signify an issue like celiac disease, and as always it is important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle to maintain optimum chances of conceiving.
Sara
sources:
http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/can-foods-contribute-to-infertility/?src=twt&twt=nytimeshealth
Women who have the disease may have irregular periods, start menstruating at a later point in their life and stop menstruating at an earlier point in life than average women. Men affected by the disease may have abnormal sperm including irregularly shaped sperm and low sperm count. All of these factors can affect the ability of couples to conceive and to successfully carry a baby. The disease may also make the person suffering from it feel ill and they may not have sex as much as they would otherwise. Amount of sex does matter when trying to get pregnant.
These findings are interesting, and may help explain infertility in some couples. It is wise to talk to a doctor about any symptoms that may signify an issue like celiac disease, and as always it is important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle to maintain optimum chances of conceiving.
Sara
sources:
http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/can-foods-contribute-to-infertility/?src=twt&twt=nytimeshealth
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Antidepressants Can Lead To Breastfeeding Failure
New research in its early stages is suggesting that women who take antidepressants may see a delay in lactation and thus a delay in breastfeeding. This is because of the role that the hormone serotonin plays in lactation, and according to the study overall breast function. This hormone affects the ability of the breast to release milk when it is needed. Serotonin can be found in many antidepressants making it possible that these anti-depressants may delay milk production by new mothers.
In the study women who were on antidepressants including Zoloft, Celexa, Prozac, Paxil, and Lexapro experienced their milk coming in approximately one day later than the women who were not on antidepressants. All of the women in the study were eventually able to breast feed, however delays in milk production can cause women to feel frustrated and give up.
Hormones are crazy enough after delivery, and feeling like you can't give your baby the nutrition he or she needs is enough to cause women to give up on breastfeeding. This delay may cause a decrease in women succeeding with breastfeeding. It is important to remember that you baby can survive just fine off of the Colostrum that your breasts secrete before your milk comes in. This Colostrum is calorie rich and nutrient rich, containing everything your baby needs to sustain life until your body starts milk production. Even if you are on anti depressants, don't give up! Understand that you can support your baby's needs until your milk comes in.
If you are really concerned don't feel bad supplementing with formula, but remember that you body works on supply and demand. If you do supplement and want to breastfeed, remember to continue breastfeeding so your baby gets the Colostrum and your brain gets the hint that milk is needed. Your milk will come eventually, but these signals may help your milk come in sooner.
Sara
In the study women who were on antidepressants including Zoloft, Celexa, Prozac, Paxil, and Lexapro experienced their milk coming in approximately one day later than the women who were not on antidepressants. All of the women in the study were eventually able to breast feed, however delays in milk production can cause women to feel frustrated and give up.
Hormones are crazy enough after delivery, and feeling like you can't give your baby the nutrition he or she needs is enough to cause women to give up on breastfeeding. This delay may cause a decrease in women succeeding with breastfeeding. It is important to remember that you baby can survive just fine off of the Colostrum that your breasts secrete before your milk comes in. This Colostrum is calorie rich and nutrient rich, containing everything your baby needs to sustain life until your body starts milk production. Even if you are on anti depressants, don't give up! Understand that you can support your baby's needs until your milk comes in.
If you are really concerned don't feel bad supplementing with formula, but remember that you body works on supply and demand. If you do supplement and want to breastfeed, remember to continue breastfeeding so your baby gets the Colostrum and your brain gets the hint that milk is needed. Your milk will come eventually, but these signals may help your milk come in sooner.
Sara
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Disney The Princess and the Frog Necklaces Sold Exclusively at Walmart Stores Recalled Due to High Levels of Cadmium
Crown Model # 4616-4187 UPC # 72783367144
Frog Model # 4616-4190 UPC # 72783367147
Consumers are urged to take the recalled jewelry away from the children and return to any Walmart store for a full refund or a free replacement product.
View the complete CPSC Recall information here http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10127.html
Andrea
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