I remember when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. I was scared. I was nervous. I was planning my wedding. I quickly went from reading The Knot magazines to What to Expect When You Are Expecting books. I planned. And I don’t mean I just sat down and thought, “I am going to have a natural birth, it will be beautiful, and I will breastfeed, and it will be glorious.” I mean, I sat down, wrote lists, weighed options—and I planned. I am pretty sure I had a list and a plan for every little detail of my pregnancy, birth, and hospital stay, all the way down to what books I was going to bring to read while I was ...Read More
Natural Thrush Treatment for Mom and Baby
When you're breastfeeding, thrush can happen at anytime. Let's talk about a great natural thrush treatment for mom and baby. I remember it like it was just yesterday. We had finally gotten the hang of breastfeeding. He was off the nipple shield, his latch was set, the pain had stopped. I felt like a champ. I wanted to hold signs wherever I went pointing it out: look at this, look what I'm doing with my body. Then came the thrush. Ugh! It just started out as general itching for me. I thought nothing of it, nothing at all. Then the thrush turned to searing pain, the kind of itching pain you feel when you've ...Read More
Breastfeeding a Sick Baby or Child
Breastfeeding a sick baby or child can be one of the most comforting and yet one of the most distressing things for a mother and baby. Breasts are not beakers with a side view to show volume and little bellies aren't a one-size-fits-all. Hospitals love exact measurements, and one thing that's hard to measure is how much milk your babe gets "straight from the tap." Then add in the personal opinions of others who disagree with the idea...and you wonder if you should or shouldn't nurse a sick kiddo. The breastfeeding experts say yes you should—with the exception of rare metabolic disorders. Breastfeeding offers health ...Read More
The Key to Nursing a Gassy Baby
When my fourth baby was born, I was 38 and already had a 16, 14 and 7 1/2 year old, all of whom I home schooled. We were thrilled to add another blessing to our home. At first, my baby was nursing wonderfully and having great success learning the skills for nursing. After a few days of birth, we found out that he had Trachea Malaysia and believed that his excessive gas was due to this. As he continued to grow, the gassiness did as well. ...Read More
7 Rules to Delay Your Period While Breastfeeding & Postpone Fertility
After delivering your little bundle of joy, you may begin to wonder when you will be fertile again. Some women don't get their period back for a while, and others seem to resume their period like clockwork shortly after baby is born. What causes a delay in resuming your period while breastfeeding? Why do some women become fertile very soon after delivering a child while others can't get pregnant for a months? In talking about fertility and breastfeeding, it seems that there are two major schools of thought, neither of which is fully accurate. Many women believe that any amount of breastfeeding prevents pregnancy, ...Read More
Breastfeeding and Pumping During and After Your Baby’s NICU Stay
Breastfeeding and pumping can be a difficult thing for a mother. It can be even more challenging when you are trying to figure out breastfeeding and pumping if your baby has a NICU stay in the hospital. Fortunately, I've got some tips and advice for you! Breastfeeding is important for the health of children and babies. My twins were preemies (born at 32 weeks) and I was lucky to be in a hospital that was very supportive of breastfeeding. While we had been planning that I would breastfeed, it was my nurses that let me know how important breast milk is for babies, especially for preemies. Through them I learned ...Read More
Breastfeeding After C-Section – A Guide for New Moms
Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn’t mean it comes natural to everyone. There can be a bit of a learning curve for new mom and baby alike, and adding a caesarean to the mix sure doesn’t remove any stress. Increase your chances of having a positive experience with the tips I’ve compiled for successfully breastfeeding after a c-section. 1. Plan Ahead When I was pregnant with my oldest son, Nikolas, I read a handful of books and attended several classes. It was in my birthing class that I was introduced to a lactation consultant and she discussed the benefits of planning for the worst in advance. ...Read More
Mothers Who Can’t Breastfeed – Alicia’s Story
In my younger years, I didn't think much about getting married and having children. When I finally did get married, I was in my early 30s and still wasn't thinking much about being a mother. When I finally did get pregnant, I was "of advanced maternal age." Still, the thought of breastfeeding didn't cross my mind much, and when it did, I never thought it would be difficult. My son was born in October of 2005, and although he didn't have any problems latching on, it seemed like he wasn't getting enough, if any at all. While we were in the hospital the nurses were helpful. A lactation expert even visited us to help us get ...Read More
