Owner: Adventures of a Breastfeeding Mother URL:http://adventuresofabreastfeedingmother.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2006 18:26:03 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Mother of a beautiful 2 year old and newborn, I use this blog to sort out my thoughts and feelings on both every day life and events in the world. This blog will mostly focus on breastfeeding, homebirth, mothering, and attachment parenting. Site statistics:Click here
Don't Worry, It's Ok.... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I woke up at three in the morning with a horribly sore throat and runny nose. After gargling salt water I went back to bed and saw that the Knight had his eyes open.Me: Babies, I'm sick.Knight: Really? *pause* Are you going to go to work today?Me: (at this point I realize he is talking in his sleep) Um....baby? I don't work.....Knight: Oh.....well, don't worry, that's ok.Well, it's good to know that I don't have to worry about not working :o) At least I know that he's not one of those guys who resents having to bring home all "the bacon" while I get to stay home with the kids ;o)
Social Butterfly 1970-01-01 00:59:59 This morning I took the girls to the local LLL meeting. There were about four other kids there that close to the Mermaid's age, I'd say between 3-5 years old. Now, the Mermaid very rarely gets to play with other kids. There aren't any other kids in the family, at least that we see regularly. And while we have been to a few play dates, they were back when the Mermaid was much younger and didn't really realize what was going on. So I was a little curious on how she would react to these other children.Well I had no reason to worry. My daughter is a social butterfly.The older children played while the mommies sat around in a circle with the babies and talked about, well, breastfeeding of course. And while I was keeping an eye on the Mermaid through the whole meeting, it wasn't until later until I realized what was going on. I had just packed the Guppy up in her carseat and was looking for the Mermaid to put her jacket on when I saw her playing across the room with the other kids. I me Read more:Social
, Butterfly
Do You Wear Your Baby? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Yesterday I went to a local meeting of NINO, a babywearing group. It was pretty cool. All the ladies there were really really nice and their kids were adorable! Some of them even use cloth diapers, so yay! I'm not the only one anymore ;o) The Mermaid had a lot of fun too, but she wanted to leave early. We stayed for about two hours and I got to try out a ring sling. I think I will like it for when the Guppy is older, right now she seemed to get a little lost in it.Today I am sick so I am basically doing nothing. Just relaxing. I want to be well so I can go to the other local LLL meeting tomorrow morning. Send me get well vibes!
Delta Airlines, in a Heap of Trouble 1970-01-01 00:59:59 So, I've been a little behind on what's going on in the news lately. The big story right now concerns DeltaAirlines
. Delta Airlines has broken the law by forcing a woman and her family to leave their flight because she was breastfeeding her child. The stewardess had offered a blanket, which the mother refused, so they were then asked to get off the plane. From the articles, it sounds like she was being very discreet and modest in her nursing. Delta Airlines is now being sued, and I hope they end up paying for her child's college education. There has also been an organized nurse in at the airport in support of the mom.Other things I've noticed in the news lately...a little article on Dr. Sears and his family, and healthy living...an article about another organized nurse-in at a movie theatre.....and finally, an article on how hospitals are attempting to become more breastfeeding friendly. Enjoy! Read more:Trouble
Vote on new pics! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Ok, so I'm sick as a dog right now so I won't be posting for a little bit....but we did get our pics back from the photographer and I'd appreciate it if you would vote on which ones you like the best. I divided them into different albums, please pick one from each album that is labled "proff pics" and vote for it by commenting.Go vote! You know you want to!
Just Another Manic Monday... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 This weekend was a pretty good weekend. Friday night we went out with the IL's to get pictures taken and then out to eat. The Mermaid cried most of the time, but we did get some good pics of the four of us. We also got some good pics of the Mermaid on a rocking horse and on a little bench. We took pics of the Guppy which came out really good, pics of the Knight and I with the Guppy, and some nursing pics of the Guppy and I with some of the Knight too. As soon as I get the pics I will post them. Saturday we got all our grocery shopping done. It was an expensive week for us this week, since we needed a lot of things. And Sunday we got a lot done around the house. Well, at least I did. The Knight gave the girls their baths and kept them occupied so I could get housework done.I have three "playdates" to go to this week that I am really excited about. It stinks that right now we are down to one car, so I have to drop the Knight off at work and then make sure I am on time to pick him up. Tw Read more:Manic
, Monday
, Manic Monday
Sacred Rules for Non-Pregnant People.... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 ...with my comments included.Top Ten List for People Who Aren't the Pregnant Couple 1) The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is "Congratulations!" with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you a jerk.With my first pregnancy, I got a lot of mixed reactions, since the baby was a surprise. With the Guppy's pregnancy, luckily I only got excited reactions.2) Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase "my baby".Luckily no one has ever referred to my babies as "their baby". I would have kicked their ass if they did.3) On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in #2, the pregnancy, birth and raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it.I wish more people realized this, too. I had a lot of peopl Read more:Rules
Friday Night 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Not much of a day today. I'm still stuck at home due to lack of a car. Currently my car: has a flat tire; has no brake lights; has an expired inspection sticker; is overdue for an oil change; and the check engine light is on.Man, I would kill for a minivan right now.Our plan is to trade in my car hopefully soon so we can get a van. It is so incredibly crowded with both the kids and all their stuff, and I really don't feel safe in that little car anymore (VW Jetta). We haven't gotten a van yet because of ....money.Lack of money is why we are living in my mom's house.....why we are doing some serious budgeting for Christmas....why we have to question every purchase we make, asking ourselves, "Is it something we really need?"Don't get me wrong, we are doing good. We've paid off a lot of our debt. And I know we could be a lot more worse off. I'm thankful that the Knight has a reliable job, that he has consistently gotten promotions and raises that helped us to pay of debt, that his Read more:Friday
, Night
, Friday Night
Snippets of My Morning.... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 A little head peeks over the bed"Wake up Mommy!"Guppy on my breast, first nursing of the morningSweet smell of baby and milkthe Knight and the Mermaid laughingsounds and smells of breakfastQuick! In goes a load of laundry,bathroom now clean, showering donebreastfast dishes done, finally sitAnother nursing for sweet Guppymore sweet baby and milk,the Mermaid comes, time to cuddle."Mommy, hug" she saysSmall sweet arms around my neckWet little kisses on my cheek"Mommy, lub you" she saysPlease don't let this moment end.... Read more:Morning
Breastfeeding conjoined twins 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I have great respect for the mom featured in this article. Not only is she breastfeeding twins, no small feat in itself, but they are conjoined! Kudos to her for her dedication to giving her daughters the best nutrition possible!Conjoined Babies a Blessing, Says MomFrom the article:But these babies are joined at the head and breast feeding them is achallenging dance that takes two people and a whole lot of patience, something their 21-year-old mother, Felicia Simms, seems to have in abundance. ..."It's very complicated because when one is on the breast the other has to be tilted and has to be slanted downwards. "You're feeding one and the other will suck on its tongue and you have to give it a soother or something because it wants food. "We're trying to figure out how to feed both of them at the same time," Simms said, bursting out laughing.Laughter punctuates much of Simms's conversations about the twins."It's quite awkward," she said about breastfeeding mechanics, although
And While We're At It... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Top Ten Rules for People Who Aren't the Parents...1) If we are not seeking your advice, don't offer it. We don't want to hear it. We are not interested in it. Shoving unsolicited advice in our faces only makes us resent you and having our children around you.2) Just because you have more children than us, or you are older than us, or any other circumstance that can be applied in this situation, does NOT make you more experienced or better at parenting than we are. Do not tell us that you are more experienced at parenting because you are NOT. You may have more experience raising you OWN child or children, but the only people that have experience raising our children is us! So don't assume you know more than us and that we need your help in raising them!3) If we have different parenting styles and beliefs than you do, that's okay. Diversity makes the world fun. But just because we parent differently does not make us wrong. Don't tell us how to raise our children, don't tell us tha
Five for Friday 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Five for Friday
:1. What one thing have you lost that you'd most like to have back?My pre-pregnancy body.2. What is the one thing you have that you wish you could get rid of?That one is easy....DEBT!3. What is the one thing you have that you pray you'd never lose?My family4. What is the biggest financial loss that you've ever experienced?The day I received a credit card.5. When have you most felt like losing it?oh, too many times to count.
Oh, boy! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Did your kid ever do or say something that made you think, "Now where did he/she get that from?" There is always the story where the child comes out and swears and the parents argue, "She gets it from you" and "No she gets it from you."Lately the Mermaid has begun to show such enthusiasm for everything and we really can't figure out where she gets it from. Not that the Knight and I aren't enthusiastic...well, maybe we aren't. We are both very happy people, but I wouldn't go so far as to say we are enthusiastic. But the Mermaid exclaims with joy over everything! And lately her favorite expression has been, "Oh, boy!" As in:"Oh, boy! A Kitty!""Oh, boy! Apple!""Oh, boy! Lovie!"And my personal favorite, whenever we give her something, it's "Oh, boy! Thank you!"Neither the Knight or I use the expression, "oh, boy!" so it remains a mystery on where she picked it up from. But for the past two weeks, as she has continually used this phrase and spoken about things with such enthusiasm, I f
Sleep Soundly, Little One... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 A while back in my old journal I posted an entry describing how co sleeping saved my daughter's life. I love co sleeping with our kids and so does the Knight. There is nothing more comforting than knowing that your children are right beside you and that you are right near them to take care of all their needs.When the Guppy was born the Knight and I found our bed to be a little crowded with the four of us. So we went out and bought a cheap air mattress to put next to our bed with the intention of having the Guppy and I sleep on the mattress while the Knight and the Mermaid remain in the bed. While it hasn't worked out quite as we planned, we now have plenty of room. The Mermaid decided that she wanted to sleep on the air mattress by herself, which was fine with us. For Christmas, MIL is buying her a toddler sized air mattress that has Dora the Explorer on it and I am planning on making a matching pillow. We are hoping that she will be so excited about her very own Dora bed that she wi Read more:Sleep
Patience is a Virtue... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 ...and it's one virtue that I simply lack. I really do not have any patience. I'm one of those people who have a million unfinished jobs sitting around the house, because of the fact that I don't have enough patience to finish a job. When I want something made, I want it made now. This is why I am so horrible at sewing. Pinning fabric together? Nah, takes too long. Pressing fabric? Nah, takes too long. And then I wonder why everything I sew comes out horrible. But I digress...the real reason I am writing about my problem with patience has to do, suprisingly, with potty training. Lately I've been finding myself becoming more and more impatient with the fact that the Mermaid is not yet potty trained. This leaves me to do something that I swore I would never do - compare my child to other children. My impatience leads me to think to myself, as I am changing the Mermaid's diaper, "So and so's child is potty trained. Why isn't the Mermaid?" Now, I also swore to myself that I Read more:Virtue
In the News 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Well lately there have been some interesting stories in the news. I found this article written for a conservative newsletter that is very much in favor of nursing in public. From the article:Think about it. We've got people out there in the world who are offended by Christmas decorations, religious symbols, music, literature, movies, free speech (if they don't agree with the speaker) and even the act of eating meat. What arewe supposed to do? Should we just stay at home, keep our mouths (and shirts)closed and read books about how to be more sensitive to others?And now an arrogant flight attendant has chosen to be offended by the simple act of a mother feeding her child in the most natural and healthy way. What's next? Seriously folks - we're reaching a point in which just about anything we do or say runs the risk of offending someone else.I also found this hilarious opinion piece in which the author responds to several comments against the Gillette family (who, you may recall
Amazing Story 1970-01-01 00:59:59 In the past few days there has been an amazing story in the news about the Kim family. As you may recall, they were stranded during a snow storm in their car on a rural road for nine days. When they ran out of food, the mother kept her two children, seven months and four years old, alive by breastfeeding. The mother and two children were eventually found, but they are still searching for the father, who had left the car to go look for help.For me, this story is both amazing and heartbreaking. Heartbreaking, of course, because they have yet to find the father. Amazing
, because she managed to keep her children alive through breastmilk. It makes me wonder about all the "What If's?" Although I normally don't like to dwell upon the What If's, this story does make me think of them. What if the baby had been formula fed? What if they ran out of formula? What if? I can't even imagine being trapped in a car, freezing, with two young children. It must have been terrifying. I have great respe
Two Month Old Letter 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Today you are two months old. Where has the time gone? It seems like it was only yesterday that I was in the birthing tub, pushing you out into the world. You've grown so much, and all on Mommy's milk. Yet you are still so small, fragile, and innocent. It never ceases to amaze me how such a small person can have such a huge impact on our lives. I can barely recall what life was like without you. You have added so much joy to our family and lives, you truly are a gift from God. Your personality shines through more and more each day. You love to smile and talk, and you love to try to talk and eat at the same time, which can make breastfeeding a messy adventure, but I don't mind. You are so strong and can hold your head up for long periods of time. You love being held, and hate being alone. Sometimes I get annoyed when I have a lot of things to do and you won't let me put you down. But then, the second I am finally able to put you down, my arms ache to hold you again. Truthf Read more:Month
, Letter
Baking is not my forte.... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 So I decided to make cupcakes to bring to my IL's and my aunts. I saw these in a magazine and thought they were adorable, and hell, they are cupcakes, easy enough, right? um....wrong! First I couldn't find candy corn or the shortbread cookies they used here anywhere! So I had to use substitutes. And I'm just bad at baking in general. So, here are my "turkey" cupcakes....Hey, they're just for eating, not a bakery contest. :oP Read more:Baking
, forte
Finally feeling up to life 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Well I'm back after being sick for four days straight. I had horrible strep throat, migraines, and a head cold to boot. I couldn't eat any solids and was on a liquid diet, I lost five pounds in those four days alone. I was treating my throat with GSE and salt water, but the GSE didn't seem to be working. So finally, on Sunday night I switched over to Apple Cider Vinegar and went to bed...by morning my throat was 100% better. I had also used lemon tea with honey, and vitamin C. Luckily no one else caught it, I was very careful in keeping my kids from getting sick...that would be the last thing I would need.This morning is the National Nurse In at all Delta ticket counters to protest the treatment of the breastfeeding woman who was kicked off a Delta flight for breastfeeding. I was planning on going but I am not fully recovered yet (I still have a horrible cough) and I can't find a sitter for the Mermaid. I would've loved being there though, hopefully the Nurse In gets lots of posit Read more:Finally
Success at Logan 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Well I am really bummed that I missed the national nurse in. I would've gone to Logan
Airport in Boston, where seven mothers and their nursing babes showed up. They got quite a bit of media attention, including:Fox, NECN (video), and CBS (video). The nurse in in general was a huge success, and I think the message that breastfeeding is normal and natural was well received in most areas. Hopefully I will be able to contribute in future nurse ins! Read more:Success
Dads and Breastfeeding 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Thanks to Motherwear blog for the heads up on these two videos! The first shows a debate between two men on whether or not women have the right to breastfeed in public. The second shows what happens when a man willingly subjects himself to the powers of the pump.
Happy Thanksgiving 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving
. The fam and I are going over to my MIL and FIL's house for dinner and then my aunt's house for dessert. Stay safe on the roads and have fun eating lots of food! HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Read more:Happy
Trajedy :o( 1970-01-01 00:59:59 A sad update to the story of the Kim family. Today searches located the body of the father. CNN has the full story with video.This is so incredibly sad. I was really hoping they would find him a live. The Kim family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Holiday Gatherings 1970-01-01 00:59:59 It's been a while since I posted what the fam has been up to. This past weekend we went to the IL's Christmas party, for my MIL's side. It was a lot of fun. Tons of kids running around, raffles, a Santa, gifts being given out, good food. The Mermaid had a blast, running around and playing with the other kids and with Grandpa. She wanted nothing to do with Santa, however. She looked at him, terrified, the whole time!The Guppy was more relaxed when it came for her turn.Notice how her hot pink Fuzzi Bunz clashes with....well, everything else? ROFL!Nothing else has been going on, really. We've just been trying to get our Christmas shopping done. We hope to finish it up this weekend and we are also going to put up our tree and decorations. That's all I can think of right now. In the meantime, I leave you with the newest family pics. Click on the pic below to see the whole set. Read more:Holiday
Holiday Shopping, HO HO HO 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Tonight the Knight and I took the girls out to go Christmas shopping. We're lucky because the Mermaid is still young enough where she doesn't fully understand the concept of Santa, so we can take her shopping with us without ruining any surprises. We didn't get all our shopping done, but we did make a big dent. For the Mermaid, we got ponies for her to play with, fabric for a Dora pillow that I am going to make, a Dora toothbrush as a stocking stuffer, a pink Patriots football fleece, and other small toys. For the Guppy we got some wooden toys, some rattles, and clothes. I am also going to knit her some balls to play with and I started to knit her a pig, but I'm not sure if I will finish it in time. I also hope to start sewing her pocket diaper soon.On the way home we put in some Christmas music, and I got to listen to my favorite Christmas song, Old City Bar. Tomorrow we will be busy putting up our Christmas decorations and wrapping presents! Read more:Holiday
, Shopping
My body is a beach... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 One of the sites that I visit regularly is The Shape of a Mother. It's a fantastic site to which real woman with real bodies submit pictures of said bodies. The pictures are beautiful, the mothers are beautiful. This site has really made me appreciate my body since I have started to read it. Anyways, this particular entry is so beautifully written it brought tears to my eyes, so I thought I would share it. Enjoy!
James Kim, a Hero. 1970-01-01 00:59:59 The Heroism of James
Kim, by Scott SimonEven in a week that's filled with bombings and poisoning investigations, for many people the saddest moment in the news was when Brian Anderson, an Oregon sheriff, had to turn away in tears as he announced that James Kim
's body had been found."I'm crushed," he said. "He was a real superhero."Mr. Kim and his wife Kati, their daughters -- 4-year-old Penelope and their 7-month-old baby Sabine -- were stranded in their car in a heavy snow after making a wrong turn onto a logging road west of Grant's Pass, Ore.The Kims lived in San Francisco, where James Kim worked for a tech news Web site. His family owned two boutiques and a coffee shop where he stopped each day, buying a double latte in the morning and a frappe that he brought home to his wife each night.They were driving home from Thanksgiving in Seattle, and missed a turn when snow began to fall; and their car got stuck.The logging road they turned down should be blocked off by a gate in Nove
Cloth Diapering 1970-01-01 00:59:59 This past Friday I went to a Mother's Tea hosted by my midwife. The topic of the meeting was babywearing and cloth diapering. There were three pregnant women there and also other children. Brooke really enjoyed herself, although she did fall down some steps and got a bloody nose. My midwife couldn't get over how big Summer had gotten and loved holding her.It was really fun to sit down with other like-minded women and discuss cloth diapering. In our experience, we first started using cloth diapers to save money. When we discovered all the other benefits, we decided not to switch back to disposables, even when though we could now afford it. It really amazed me that I prefer cloth over disposable, and it really makes me think of finding alternatives to other disposable products, and how those alternatives can help to lessen the impact on the environment that our disposable society causes.Here are some links about the cloth vs. disposable debate in general:The Top Ten Myths About Cloth
D Read more:Diapering
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