For the Mom That Needs To Be Cared For: How About VIP MommyCon Tickets and Earth Mama Angel Baby Swag?

by Jessica Martin-Weber

When we’re lonely, exhausted, and confused, parenting gets harder. When we’re sore, conflicted, and struggling, despair can creep in. So can resentment and anger and doubt. Burn out.

 

And when feeding our baby isn’t as natural as we thought it would be, our confidence can erode. Not just in the short term, it can leave a quiet burning question in our core than leads to us feeling unworthy every step of our parenting journey.

 

You guys, parenting is a long road.

 

Our children deserve to have parents that are supported, parents that are connected, parents that are healing, parents that are growing.

 

Some of us get to have trying to conceive stories that are easy and fun. Some of us get to have pregnancy experiences that are glowing and radiant. Some of us get to have birthing ways that are moving and empowering. Some of us get to enjoy infant feeding journeys that are simple and sweet.

 

Some of us don’t.

 

All of our stories matter. Hearing and sharing all of them help not only us in sharing them but others in hearing them. And seeing them. And sharing them again.

 

Normalizing parenting, normalizing motherhood.

 

Earth Mama Angel Baby, The Leaky Boob, and MommyCon are teaming up to help us do just that. Together. Because we don’t have to go this parenting road alone.

 

For 2016 I’m headed to Seattle, Austin, DC, Costa Mesa, Orlando, and San Jose with MommyCon thanks to the support of Earth Mama Angel Baby. Earth Mama Angel Baby founder, Melinda Olsen and I sat down over lunch and shared our stories with each other and our shared belief that supporting parents and nurturing mothers is caring for babies and the future generations. My dear friend poured her wisdom into me , impressing on me even more the importance of meeting mom’s where they are and celebrating the love they give. MommyCon is all about that and building community around the country that facilitates those very same goals.

 

So we’re working together to help make it happen.

 

Inspired by the thousands of women who have shared their feeding stories with me, I’ll be talking at MommyCon about What Love Tastes Like- Feeding with love and the impact of infant feeding on long term parenting with a look at the importance of telling our stories and how we do so.

 

It would be wonderful to see you there.

 

Which is why we’re having a giveaway! A little bit of Earth Mama Angel Baby care and 6 pair of tickets. Five lucky winners will get to take themselves and a friend or a partner to MommyCon in the city of their choice and receive a Little Something For Baby from Earth Mama Angel Baby and one lucky winner with receive the grand prize bundle of Jessica’s Favorite Things from Earth Mama Angel Baby and a pair of tickets to the MommyCon event of winner’s choice with a VIP upgrade to the Earth Mama Angel Baby VIP event with me (retail value: $284.89).

 

EMAB-Moommycon

Giveaway

1 lucky grand-prize winner will receive:

Jessica’s Favorite Things from Earth Mama Angel Baby. ($184.89 retail value.)

2 tickets to the 2016 MommyCon City of your choice with Earth Mama Angel Baby VIP upgrade with The Leaky Boob. ($100 value.)

5 lucky winners will receive:

1 Earth Mama Angel Baby A Little Something For Baby with tiny tote bag. ($19.95 retail value.)

2 tickets to the 2016 MommyCon City of your choice. ($90 value.)

 

 

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#TLBloves Giveaway- Share the Love

Humans have a deep need to connect with each other, forming bonds and experiencing love. But it isn’t always easy and sometimes it is downright confusing to be in relationship with others. With #TLBloves, we aim to provide families with community support through information sharing, narrative, and personal challenges, all free of judgment.

#TLBloves Giveaway Bundle includes items from Chompy Chic, Earth Mama Angel Baby, Kahiniwalla, Bamboobies, Milk Makers, and Baby K’tan!!

The giveaway!

Chompy Chic.

banner_vs1Chompy Chic Chewlery offers unique accessories for moms to wear and babies to chomp on.  Our stylish accessories are ideal for teething, nursing and babywearing. Geometric Gem Necklace

Chic geometric style necklace are ideal for babies to teethe on who have emerging teeth and may need a little extra help on focusing on the nursing.  All silicone is BPA and lead free, contain no phthalates, heavy metals or cadimium, 100% food grade and safe for babies to chomp on.  Silicone is FDA/CE approved.

All necklaces have a breakaway clasp for safety and are intended for moms to wear.  Products with small beads should never be left unattended with a baby.  Inspect for damage to cording and beads before each use. Discard if damaged. 

Retail Value: $28.00

For more information visit Chompy Chic.
Earth Mama Angel Baby.
image002Earth Mama’s classic Angel Baby Lotion was formulated with extra care, because what goes on your baby goes in your baby, through their mouths and skin! Gentle Angel Baby Lotion is baby safe skin care, blended with organic herbal ingredients to moisturize and protect sensitive, delicate skin. For babies of all ages – top to bottom, cheeks to cheeks. With organic Calendula and Rooibos, soothing to dry skin, eczema, diaper and skin rash. Smells so naturally Vanilla Orange good you’ll have to nibble on an adorable little tootsie or two!

Retail Value:  $24 (plus shipping- US only)

 For more information visit Earth Mama Angel Baby
 
 
Kahiniwalla/Pebble Child. 09 Donkey Green OctopusSome donkeys have a reputation for being a little bit grumpy… Not ours, though – he has a real twinkle in his eyes and a cheerful smiling face. And with his multi-colored stripes, large floppy ears and bright green tufted mane, he’s full of character and fun. Materials: 100% cotton with 100% polyester fill. Size: height approx 40cm, width approx 15cm. Care instructions: machine washable at 40 degrees and can be tumble dried on a low setting.
 
Retail Value: $39.95 (shipping within US only)
For more information visit Kahiniwalla.
Bamboobies.
BBtopSq200x200-1We are giving away a multi-pack of our bamboobies® Washable Nursing Pads. They are ultra-soft, absorbent and leak-proof. One box of our boob-ease® 100% Organic Nipple Balm. It’s 100% organic, lanolin-free and good for moms who suffer from sore and cracked nipples. One black bamboobies® Chic Nursing Shawl is a versatile wardrobe essential for maternity, nursing, and beyond! So stylish and discreet, no one will know it’s a nursing cover!
Retail Value: $70 (for the bundle)
For more information visit Bamboobies.
Milk Makers.
mm_select_logo®-2Milkmakers cookies and mixes are seriously delicious and nutritious…with natural key ingredients that can help BOOST your breast milk supply. We are giving away a month supply of Milkmakers cookies in the flavor of your choice!
Retail Value: $54.99 (shipping US only)
For more information visit Milk Makers.
Baby K’tan.
BK-BannerThe award winning Baby K’tan® ORIGINAL Baby Carrier is a wrap-style carrier without all of the wrapping. The patented double-loop design is an innovative blend of a sling, wrap and carrier all in one, providing the positions and benefits of all three. Individually sized to fit either mom or dad (refer to sizing chart to select correct size), the Baby K’tan Baby Carrier slips on easily like a t-shirt to comfortably carry baby from newborn to toddlerhood (8-35 lbs.). It is lightweight and compact like a sling, yet supportive like a structured carrier. Made of 100% soft natural cotton, the Baby K’tan ORIGINAL Baby Carrier is free of harmful chemicals, formaldehydes and azo dyes, and contains no hardware, plastic or metal.
Retail Value: $49.95 (shipping US & Canada only)
For more information visit Baby K’tan.

TLB Loves giveaway image

Total Retail Value of Bundle: $266.89
Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to enter. The giveaway is open from now through March 14, 2016. A big thanks to Chompy Chic, Earth Mama Angel Baby, Kahiniwalla, Bamboobies, Milk Makers, and Baby K’tan for their support of TLB and all breastfeeding women. This giveaway is open to participants in the USA.

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Leaky Boob and Earth Mama Support with Integrity

Earth Mama Celebrates The Leaky Boob and My Story Matters.

 

#MyStoryMatters #TLBsupportForward

Was breastfeeding a piece of cake for you? Or were you a mama who struggled every day? Was your time so short you don’t think you have a story, or so long you’re reluctant to mention it? Did you have the support of everyone, or were you discouraged from your choices? Every story is important, and every story matters: every time a breastfeeding mama tells her story it helps others see themselves and find courage and support. There is not ONE model for breastfeeding, and it doesn’t matter what your story is, we all need to commit to supporting each other.

 

In honor of The Leaky Boob’s Fifth Anniversary and My Story Matters, Earth Mama is renewing the Support With Integrity Pledge. The Leaky Boob’s open, supportive, non-judgmental environment is a perfect example of criticism-free breastfeeding help, with acknowledgment that there are as many ways to get your baby fed as there are types of nursing pillows. The Leaky Boob encourages “acceptance no matter if you use a pillow from the bed or one that’s branded – if one kind of pump works better for you then hallelujah! Nobody lives this life exactly the same way. That includes different breastfeeding “methods”. If the mama is happy and the baby is healthy that’s perfect. And we can encourage a community of people who are there to support, not criticize or judge.” Sing it, Leaky!

 

The Support with Integrity Pledge gives props to women who choose to lift each other up, and not tear each other down. There are so many opinions and choices when it comes to breastfeeding: whether or not you should even be using a nursing pillow, which brand, how often, on a schedule not on a schedule, a nipple shield or not, and don’t get us started on position! Football, side laying, upside down yoga baby… there is so much overwhelming information, and everyone has a different experience.

 

Instead of judging choices that are different from ours, let’s choose to be each other’s cheerleaders. Let’s choose to acknowledge that breastfeeding can be hard, or easy, or both, and it can be different for different children of the same mama. Let’s stand down from judgment, and jump toward supporting every mama’s personal decision. Let’s strengthen and unite the efforts of breastfeeding supporters, who focus on getting the baby fed, and not take sides about how it’s done, or being right.

 

So often when you find an exhausted mama, a crying baby, and frustration at trying to make this breastfeeding thing work, you also find people wanting to help. And help is wonderful, of course, but sometimes it comes with an edge. Some who are very invested in a certain way of doing things can sometimes forget to, first and most important, be kind and supportive. Maybe you’ve been the mama, maybe you’ve been the supportive friend, maybe you’ve even been the one pushing an agenda a little too hard. We’ve all been there, and we all mean well.

Need some help trying to figure out what’s helpful and what’s not? Here are some ways to support mamas who may not be making the same choices as you:

 

Helpful

 

  • “You are doing great, mama.” This little phrase can mean so much, especially when a mama is feeling confused and exhausted.

 

  • Suggest she find a support site or Facebook page similar to HER values, not yours. The Leaky Boob is a welcoming breastfeeding community that offers judgment-free support and helpful resources.

 

  • “How can I help? I will keep my opinions to myself and do whatever you need!” And then button your lip and do it!

 

  • Help defuse aggressive questioning or pointed comments with a, “I’m so glad your nursing choices have been beneficial to you and your baby, but my friend has chosen a different way and she could really use our support!”

 

 

Not Helpful

 

  • Piles of research on the “right” way to breastfeed – we can find all sorts of conflicting information on the Internet. Respect that your friend has chosen a way that works for her, even if you disagree with it.

 

  • Scary stories information about other people’s bad experiences.

 

  • “It was easy for you before, why can’t you do it this time?” Remember, different babies have different breastfeeding experiences.

 

  • Any unsolicited opinion about method, equipment, position, or schedule – you don’t know the whole story, and if the baby’s being fed, just smile and admire that there are lots of ways to get the job done!

 

 

And now, go take the pledge! “I agree to hold hands and help mamas get what they need to make breastfeeding work for them, no matter how they choose to do it. If a mama and baby are making it work, I’ll stand and cheer them on from the sidelines.”

 

Sign on now here!

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Share with us what you find to be helpful and respectful support and what you have found not to be helpful nor respectful support in the comments below.

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Leaky Boob Looks: Nurturing YOU

by Kileah McIlvain

I know. You know. Mother’s Day is almost here. This particular day can come with a mixed bag of emotions for some of us. Whether it’s loss, joy, infertility, longing, expectation, abundance, joy, anticipation or loneliness. Mothering is hard. Being a human can be hard. BEING requires so much of us…sometimes more than we think we have. Days are sometimes met with an exhausted yawn and aching bones after multiple nights feeding a little one or tending the wake of a tummy bug (that ALWAYS shows up at night, it seems). We end up feeling poured out like a pitcher of water over dry sand. Sometimes, all I can think of is how EMPTY I feel. Sacrificing, pouring out, mending, caring, nurturing. I get lost in the foray. Then? I realize that I need to be nurtured. I need to be cared for. I need to be filled. I MUST be nurtured. I need to be kind to myself. We are, each of us, unique. There are things whether they are small or big, that nurture us. Whether it’s a person, a moment, a ritual, a prayer, an object. This week, I want to focus on looks for you that are rooted in simple comfort. In loveliness. In empowerment and loving ourselves and these mama bodies that we are constantly using to nurture those around us. We love you, Leaky! Let us be empowered and nurtured so that we can empower and nurture those around us. <3

 

Leaky Look #1: Lovely Mama

I wanted this look to center around feeling lovely and strong from within while being texturally soft and versatile. This is the Ready, Set, Vacay Dress from Modcloth. Easy feeding access, comes in a great range of sizes, flattering lines and great bodice detailing. I added the uber-soft Seashell Pink nursing bra from Nursing Bra Express, a structured chambray blazer, and some great leather gladiator sandals. The leather handbag IS actually a diaper bag crafted by Oemibaby-a great wardrobe piece you can transition with from moming to self-caring seamlessly! The accessories are handmade from Etsy. What better than to finish off this look with the gorgeously-soft Ergo Organic baby carrier in “Dandelion.” (Yes. there are sweet dandelions printed all over it!)

Lovely

Leaky Look #2: Comfy Glam

This look reminded me of one of my favorite magazines (Dwell). This top is the Black Tilla top from Purple Impression (my newest obsession! Seriously. Their mission, brand, ethically-stitched clothing, breastfeeding friendly…and the causes they are involved with in supporting women. Read more HERE.). I paired the top with some simple nursing tanks from Target, comfy harem pants from Gap, Arizona Birkenstocks, and a Storksak bag in “Noa” from Nordstrom.com. A Beautiful brass medallion necklace from Modcloth compliments the hand embroidered sleeves on the top and my FAVORITE Tekhni woven wrap in Delta Gothic makes this gorgeous look chic, functional, extremely comfortable, and versatile for various activities/lifestyles.

Gothic glam

Leaky Look #3: Zen Mama

One of the best ways we can nurture ourselves is by challenging/caring for our body! This look is centered around a pink workout top from Belabumbum, a blue bamboo cardigan, and the adjustable “3 reasons support bra” from Title Nine. Yoga is a wonderful way to center yourself and strengthen your body and mind, so I added in this lovely Yoga bag from REI and a colorful Girasol woven wrap from Paxbaby for a local baby and me yoga sesh! Simple things like Earth Mama Angel Baby lip balm and water in a double-insulated ThinkSport water bottle are perfect ways to invest in taking care of yourself and helping you to thrive in a healthy state of being.

Fitness

I sure hope you like this week’s feature! Let us know what special things help you recharge and inspire you to nurture yourself!

Tag us and use #LeakyLooks #booboutFashion #nurturethenurturer

Earth Mama Angel Baby Sudsy Giveaway

You may know Earth Mama Angel Baby as a company dedicated to producing natural, organic, zero toxin products for mama and baby, such as their Milkmaid Tea, or Nipple Butter, but you may not be aware that they also offer a variety of soaps made with the same standards.  In the following interview, Melinda, creator of Earth Mama Angel Baby, offers TLB readers a mini lesson about the difference between soaps and detergents, and a chance to enter a soapy giveaway.

 

Melinda

TLB:  So far, you’ve presented The Leaky Boob community with your breastfeeding related and baby health/pampering products, which we happen to love.  For this giveaway, you are interested in focusing on your line of soaps.  What prompted you to start making soaps?

Melinda:  I have always made herb-infused soap for myself, and to me it remains the simplest, purest way to clean your body. It seemed like a logical step for Earth Mama to give people pure, safe options so they don’t have to use toxin-laced detergents on fragile baby skin, or on their pregnant bodies, or for anyone in the family!

TLB:  Okay, you are obviously very knowledgeable when it comes to the sudsy stuff!  How about if we have a mini lesson about soap and detergents? To start us off, what’s the difference between soap and detergent? Aren’t they basically the same thing?

Melinda:  What a great question! Nope, they aren’t the same! True soap is very simple stuff, and very simply made. Soap is the end product of blending pure fats or oils (acids) with an alkaline base (like potassium or sodium hydroxide) solution. Allow this acid/base solution to sit and stew while the acids and bases neutralize each other. The oils are saponified, the scary-sounding stuff no longer exists, and you are left with a balanced, naturally sudsy soap, with a natural pH high enough that it doesn’t require the addition of synthetic surfactants or preservatives.

TLB:  OK, so what is detergent?

Melinda:  Detergents were originally manufactured to be effective cleaners for clothes, dishes and countertops. They are synthetic blends of surfactants (surface acting agents) intended to reduce the surface tension of water to penetrate and strip away the grease from your pork chops and leave your dishes sparkling clean. They cut through the mud on the knees of your kid’s jeans and wash it away in the laundry. Because they are a liquid, that means they also require an emulsifier to keep the ingredients evenly blended, and preservatives to keep them from going bad. Detergents also often contain artificial fragrances to keep your clothes and countertops smelling “clean and fresh.” And in order for it to kill germs they need to add an antibacterial pesticide like Triclosan. As you can see, detergents can be a very toxic stew!

TLB:  Does soap have any of that stuff?

Melinda:  Nope, true soaps require none of these additives. True soap is naturally foamy so it doesn’t need an added surfactant. It is naturally preserved, so it needs no added emulsifiers or preservatives. It kills germs naturally, so it doesn’t need an antimicrobial pesticide. Especially if you get a castile soap made from organic oils, true soap is one of the safest, purest, most economical and versatile cleaners out there. You can use it for safe household cleaning and for your kids too!

TLB:  So how did detergents get into my soap?

Melinda:  Detergents started being used in some personal care products, like shampoos and body washes, because the blend of synthetic chemicals is a less costly way to achieve lathering and cleaning/stripping properties. But we don’t want any of those other dubious side “benefits” that come along for the ride in our baby’s tub! So we manufacture pure, organic, liquid castile soap. If you really add it up, a pure, organic castile soap gives you a lot of safe, worry-free cleaning in a little squirt.

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Earth Mama Angel Baby is giving away one Castile Soap Bundle to 3 lucky Leakies.  
Winners’ choice of flavor: Angel Baby, Calming Lavender, Happy Mama, Non-scents.
Retail Value: $43.88

calming-lavender-bundle_3natural-non-scents-bundle_2

Currently Leakies can find safe, pure castile soap and other organic skincare items on the Earth Mama Angel Baby website

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from July 17, 2013 through July 23, 2013.  A big thanks to Earth Mama Angel Baby for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page or follow them on twitter and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity. You can also find Earth Mama Angel Baby on Pinterest and Instagram.

This giveaway is restricted to U.S. residents only.

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Earth Day Giveaway

Happy Earth Day, TLB followers!  It seems fitting that Earth Mama Angel Baby would have a giveaway with us today, considering “Earth” is an integral part of their name.  As you can gage from the following interview, Earth Mama Angel Baby is looking out for the Earth as they create products that are good for mamas and babies.  Find our more about this TLB sponsor, and enter the giveaway below. 

MelindaOlson

TLB:  What makes breastfeeding eco-friendly?

Melinda:  It’s to-go meals without any waste! No bottles, no formula, no transport costs. Of course you can buy things that make breastfeeding easier, or more comfortable, or more efficient for you, but at its simplest, breastfeeding is completely self-sustaining.

TLB:  How does Earth Mama’s mission support eco-friendly breastfeeding?

Melinda:  Everything Earth Mama does is about providing safe, comforting products for the benefit of mamas and babies. That includes Mother Earth. We use organic and sustainably grown herbs and continually refine products as organic ingredients or more efficient herbs are available. We make the extra effort to certify our products, and use certified organic herbs because “certified organic” is the only way you can know for sure an herb was planted, grown, harvested and handled in a safe and sustainable way. Of course there are no petrochemicals, artificial ingredients or toxins in any Earth Mama product, ever. We choose green and toxin-free business practices because we have a company-wide commitment to honor the earth and her valuable resources. It isn’t just breastfeeding, we approach every aspect of pregnancy and childbirth in a eco-minded way.

TLB:  Which products specifically support breastfeeding?

Melinda:  USDA Certified 100% Organic Milkmaid Tea helps support healthy breast milk production naturally, with time- and science-tested herbs known to help increase milk supply. Natural Nipple Butter is certified organic by Oregon Tilth and helps soothe sore, cracked nipples without petrochemicals or lanolin (which many mamas avoid due to concerns about allergies and pesticide residue). Booby Tubes® are 100% natural, gel-free breast packs that can be used warm or cold, depending on what breasts need!

TLB:  Would you call yourselves eco-minded, tree-hugging, peace mamas? 

Melinda:  We love to sign our correspondence, “Peace, love and Natural Nipple Butter for All!” so yeah, I guess you could say that!

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 Earth Mama Angel Baby is giving away 3 Breastfeeding Essentials Bundles to 3 lucky Leakies
(one per winner).  

Retail Value: $44.09 each

The Breastfeeding Essentials Bundle offers soothing comfort to nourish a new mama’s breasts, so she can nourish her angel baby, naturally.

breastfeed_bundle_2

Currently Leakies can find the Breastfeeding Essentials Bundle and other organic pregnancy, breastfeeding and baby care items on the Earth Mama Angel Baby website.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from April 22, 2013 through April 30, 2013.  A big thanks to Earth Mama Angel Baby for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page  or follow them on twitter  (@EarthMamaHQ on Twitter) and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

This giveaway is restricted to U.S. residents only.

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Earth Mama Angel Baby Giveaway

Started by Melinda, a mother who believes in the natural healing power of herbs, Earth Mama Angel Baby offers organic products for expectant and new mothers, and their babies.  Their dedication to supporting mothers and babies makes them such an easy fit with The Leaky Boob.  Read below as Melinda shares more about Earth Mama Angel Baby and some of her own experience as a new mother. And then enter for your chance to win a Breastfeeding Essentials Bundle!

MelindaOlson

TLB:  What should readers know about Earth Mama Angel Baby and the values you hold to for your company?

Melinda:  The one most important thing I’d love people to really understand is this: these products were formulated for pregnant women to use. If it’s going ON and IN a pregnant woman, it is literally being given to her unborn baby. The herbs used in Earth Mama products have stood the test of generations, and have been historically, safely used on the most fragile population on the planet. If it’s truly safe enough for a pregnant woman, it’s safe. But how do you know what’s safe?

We love mamas with lots of questions, because we have them too. What makes a product truly organic? Why do some companies use questionable ingredients but still use the word organic? What’s all that information on the label, and is it important? We think it is, and we think mamas have a right to know what they are putting on their babies. We don’t think that’s too much to ask, so we are happy to tell them!

TLB: Do you think parents really care about reading labels and knowing what organic really means?

Melinda: The reason we do this is because it’s safer. And safer is better. I couldn’t do it any other way, because I need to sleep at night knowing I’ve done my best to keep mamas and babies safe. One of our missions is education. People know to do better once they know that there is better to do. And we think that once mamas know about what’s really safe, they start to see how difficult it can be as a consumer to know what you are really putting on your baby. Mamas shouldn’t have to be chemists to know if something is safe. If something is safe it should say on the label. Sadly, there are a lot of words – like safe, natural, honest, organic – that are used on product labels that are anything but.

TLB:  What was the inspiration behind the name Earth Mama Angel Baby?

Melinda: It’s about using traditional plant medicine for our most precious populations: pregnant mamas and brand new babies. Our tag line is “Gifts from the earth, for your gift from heaven” and that’s not just cute, it’s true.

TLB: What is your role in Earth Mama Angel Baby and what do you enjoy most about it?

Melinda: Earth Mama Angel Baby was born in my garage, after I spent an intensive period studying herbs and plant medicine. I knew instinctively that the herbs that are abundant on this earth are here to heal and nurture, safely, and I wanted to pass that on to people. Women especially, because women go through pregnancy with a lot of thought for their growing baby, but with not as much thought for their stretching, itchy skin, bottom problems and tummy troubles. I enjoy helping mamas who are feeling so exhausted or discouraged from the normal discomforts of pregnancy. Or hearing that Angel Baby Bottom Balm soothed a particularly terrible diaper rash. I love getting feedback from mamas, whether they are needing help or saying thanks, it’s a joy to connect with them. And the baby pictures are great too!

TLB:  We all know that all that’s really essential to breastfeeding are a pair of lactating breasts and a hungry baby, but aside from those basics, what did you find invaluable in your breastfeeding journey?

Melinda: On day two after my first child was born I was home alone. I didn’t have support or models of breastfeeding, but I also didn’t have any expectations of problems. I didn’t know there could be problems, so any difficulty that came up I just figured out! Although I think the resources mamas have now are invaluable, with breastfeeding support and lactation consultants and sites like The Leaky Boob, there was something important for me in just sticking it out because I had to. I think I’d say to breastfeeding mamas, when you’re going to dig a trench you’re gonna get blisters, but by the time you’ve dug 5 trenches you’ll have some calluses and you’ll know that holding the spade a certain way works better for you than another way. By the time you’ve dug 10 you won’t even think about any of that. There’s a break-in period for breastfeeding, and it comes from sticking it out. In the end there is an amazing reward, not just the best nutrition for your baby, and the bond you’ll have for life, but the knowledge that you did this amazing, miraculous thing. It’s like boot camp, you asked your body to do something difficult, and it responded with exhaustion and confusion and then showing you that it was capable of doing it.

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Earth Mama Angel Baby is giving away 3 Breastfeeding Essentials Bundle to 3 lucky Leakies! 

The Breastfeeding Essentials Bundle has a retail value of $44.09 and its purpose is to offer soothing comfort to nourish a new mama’s breasts, so she can nourish her angel baby, naturally.

It includes all-natural necessities for every breastfeeding mama. Organic Milkmaid Tea is a USDA Certified 100% Organic nursing tea that helps support healthy breast milk production. Lanolin-free Natural Nipple Butter (2 fl. Oz.) is a naturally safe nipple cream that helps soothe and prevent sore, cracked nipples. Booby Tubes® are gel-free breast packs to use warm or cold to ease breasts sore from engorgement or mastitis. Safe and natural, with no toxins ever.

breastfeed_bundle2

Currently Leakies can find these and other wonderful organic products at www.earthmamaangelbaby.com

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from March 21, 2013 through March 27, 2013.  A big thanks to Melinda and Earth Mama Angel Baby for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page and Twitter (@earthmamahq) and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

This giveaway open to U.S. entries only. 

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Earth Mama Angel Baby Give-away

Today we have a giveaway from new TLB sponsor Earth Mama Angel Baby.  Cruelty-free, certified vegan, kosher, and 100% free from toxic ingredients, EMAB products are safe for the entire family.  The baby shampoos and washes are our favorites and we’re so impressed with how the foaming bottles mean a little bit goes a long way.  I’ve loved all the EMAB products I’ve had the chance to try, from their teas to the Angel Baby Bottom Balm, their New Mama Bottom Spray to their massage oil, these products are not only safe but are also wonderfully soothing.  In addition to their wonderful products, EMAB has made it a priority to support families, providing education and care resources.  Read on for details on this giveaway opportunity and an interview with this company that so loves on mamas and babies all over.  Be sure to visit their blog  for informative parenting articles and more.

TLB: What would you like readers to know about your company?

Melinda: The one most important thing I’d love people to really understand is this: these products were formulated for pregnant women to use. If it’s going ON and IN a pregnant woman, it is literally being given to her unborn baby. The herbs used in Earth Mama products have stood the test of generations, and their safe use is supported by evidence based research for their use on the most fragile population on the planet. If it’s safe enough for a pregnant woman, it’s safe for anybody.

TLB: How did Earth Mama Angel Baby come about?

Melinda: I didn’t originally intend to start an organic herbal manufacturing company. Every single product I formulated was created to help support friends and family for one problem or another. I am a nurse, and went on a personal quest to formulate pure, organic products that combined traditional plant medicine with evidence-based research. At Earth Mama we study the safest herbs, pore over evidence-based research, and formulate the safest products possible, the safest products a company can make in this industry, and products that are as close to the earth as can be.

TLB: What are your favorite breastfeeding memories as a mom?

Melinda: I have many unforgettable breastfeeding moments. One of the first was sitting in the dark, exhausted, hearing nothing but perfect stillness and the wonderful breathing and swallowing noises my tiny baby made. I was filled with a love greater than any I had ever felt in my whole life.

Another was when I realized that breastfeeding wasn’t just nourishment for my baby, it was also comfort. At times, all my baby needed, the thing that made it all better, whether it was an owie or overtiredness, was the comfort of my breast.

The other thing I loved is that when I left the house and had to pack 92 changes of clothing and 42 extra diapers, I didn’t have to worry about whether or not I had enough bottles. If we got stuck in traffic or missed a plane, I brought dinner with us!

TLB: What is one tip that helped you in your breastfeeding journey that you’d like to pass on to other moms?

Melinda: On day two after my first child was born I was home alone. I didn’t have support or models of breastfeeding, but I also didn’t have any expectations of problems. I didn’t know there could be problems. In my innocence, I just assumed it was the way babies ate their food, so any difficulty that came up I just figured out! There weren’t the incredibly invaluable resources mamas have now, like lactation consultants and amazing breastfeeding resources like The Leaky Boob. I think I’d say to breastfeeding mamas, the first time you dig a trench you’re gonna get blisters. But by the time you’ve dug 5 trenches you’ll have some calluses and you’ll know that holding the spade a certain way works better for you than another way. By the time you’ve dug 10 you won’t even think about any of that. There’s a break-in period for breastfeeding, and there’s value in staying with it. In the end there is an amazing reward, not just the best nutrition for your baby, and the bond you’ll have for life, but the knowledge that you did this amazing, miraculous thing. It’s like boot camp, you asked your body to do something difficult, and it responded with exhaustion and confusion and then showing you that it was capable of doing it.


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Earth Mama Angel Baby is giving away 3 prizes:

1. Breastfeeding Essentials Bundle Retail value: $35.27

2. Nipple Butter 2oz, Booby Tubes and Milkmaid Tea Retail value: $36.09 

3. Set of three 5.3oz soaps: Calming Lavender, Non-Scents, and Angel Baby  Retail Value: $29.85


 

Currently Leakies can find these and other great products on the Earth Mama Angel Baby website.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered and have fun browsing www.earthmamaangelbaby.com.  The giveaway is open from August 20, 2012 to August 28, 2012.  Earth Mama Angel Baby is thrilled to offer their very first give-away with TLB!  A big thanks to Melinda for her ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women, please be sure to visit their Facebook page and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

This giveaway is open to US and Canada entries only.

 

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