postpartum — Page 3

We’re Moving!

August 1, 2014 by TLB Reviews Writing Team 1 Comment

by Jessica Martin-Weber and Amy West

Leakies, we’ve got something really special for you. We’re talking about #BFingPlaces (Oh! The Places You Go!) for World Breastfeeding Month and we’ve taken it one step further. Literally.

We have every reason in the world to be physically active; heart health, longevity, reduced health problems, strength, endurance, lower blood pressure, stronger bones, joint health, mental clarity, better sleep, and decrease in depression and anxiety to name a few. Several studies show that people who exercise more are just happier. Which has always baffled me personally since exercise is kind of the opposite of happy for me. Still, I know it’s good for me so I’ve tried to do it regularly and felt guilty when I didn’t.

With having children though, juggling family, home, and work (and yes, even when I didn’t have a job), getting exercise in is often an overwhelming challenge. Between the media, “experts,” bloggers, friends, family, health care providers, and yes, even myself saying what is so important for children, there are just so many other aspects of a child’s development that require my attention. There is every reason in the world to not be physically active; reading to our children, providing quality meals, addressing their social needs, researching all medications/foods/education, shopping to have the “best” deals on the highest quality (but the blanket MUST be organic, what about off-gassing?!), spending quality play time with our children, limiting screen time, grooming them, keeping house, bonding, learning and executing proper child passenger safety (installing that perfect car seat that took 3 weeks of research and a small loan to purchase) and being sure every minute of their every day is filled with only the best developmentally appropriate activities. With all that’s on our plates, how do we find time to be physically active?

But really, how can we not?

We have perfectly legit reasons to not be moving and perfectly inspiring reasons to get moving. It’s not easy sometimes but it’s definitely worth it.

I was born with a minor heart condition, something I’ve lived with all my life. Doctors have told me that keeping my weight in a healthy range and staying physically active will go a long way in taking care of my health and sure enough, I can tell when I’ve put on a few too many pounds, have let inactivity sneak into my routine, or am lazy about my water intake. I try to make it a priority but I’m just not crazy about most forms of exercise. I’m not the type to become a health nut, I’m not likely become an exercise fanatic, and I don’t like exercise for exercise’s sake. Something else has to motivate me to get off my butt and get moving.

Turns out I have 6 really talented motivators. I want to be around for a long time to be with my children and eventually my grandchildren and I can’t afford to wait to get started. They inspire me and not only for my own health, but for the health of my whole family. And now they’ve inspired me to share that motivation with you!

Actually it was Amy West’s idea, she came to me about how regularly taking walks was helping her in her immediate postpartum time. Her mood, emotional state, and energy levels went up as she walked with her two kids, Ava and Luke. I agreed and we wanted to find a way to share it with the Leakies and their families. And with that, #TLBmoves was born.

It’s time for #TLBmoves!

And I hope you’ll get moving with me for your own reasons.

Are you a runner? Walker? Cross-fit fan? Couch potato looking to change? Or maybe you just want to be screen-free a little more often.

Whatever your goal, you can join us for #TLBmoves! This is all about embracing an active lifestyle and making healthier choices, no matter where you’re starting from.

Us? We’re starting by walking more. Just the simple act of taking a daily stroll can do amazing things for your health–both mental and physical! Our initial goal is to log a minimum of 10 miles (about 15,000 steps) each week, or 30 very active minutes each day, but you can set virtually any goal that’s important to you and participate in any way you’d like! (Quit smoking, play with the kids more, eat more veggies, do jumping jacks at your desk, living room dance party – anything goes!)

If you’re already doing that (or more), awesome! Whatever YOUR goal is, we want to see you reach it. #TLBmoves is not a fitness campaign; yeah, we’re talking about steps and activity, but the bigger goal here is overall health and happiness. You can participate at whatever level is comfortable for you: walking, jogging, running, cross-fitting, swimming – anything. (#TLBmoves is aimed at all moms of all backgrounds and is not limited to or specifically endorsing those who breastfeed.) And we’ll never ask what’s your excuse, we know we all have great excuses so we understand that it’s one day, one step at a time to reach your personal goals.

#TeamTLBmoves! Meet the four mamas who will be sharing their #TLBmoves journeys during the month of August:

Jessica: Founder, owner, and author of The Leaky Boob Facebook group and website; mother of six girls, ages 2, 4, 6, 11, 13, and 15.

Amy: Writer (www.amywest.co); mother of two children, a five-year-old daughter and a three-month-old son.

Kileah: Member of the TLB Reviews editorial team; mother of four children, ages 6, 4, 2 and 8 months.

Elise: Member of the TLB Reviews editorial team; mother of one two-month-old son.

Meet our partners:

#TLBmoves is a big undertaking and we are so thrilled to be working with brands we believe in to bring you this event. Our partners really want to see moms getting active and enjoying a healthy lifestyle with their families! We’ll be sharing tons of photos of #TeamTLBmoves using gear from the following brands:

Joovy. We are all about taking small steps to a healthier lifestyle – literally! Going for a daily walk with the little ones is one of the cornerstones of what we’re doing. Joovy has partnered with us to feature four of their kick-ass strollers, which we will put to to the test over the next month. You’ll see the TooFold, Qool, Caboose VaryLight, and Zoom in action. From the big kids to the littles, Joovy is making it easy (and whine-free!) to stroll with the whole family.

Tula Baby Carriers. We aren’t just pushing our little ones in the strollers – we’re going to wear them, too! Whether it’s in the uber comfortable Standard or Toddler carrier, or in one of Tula’s amazingly gorgeous woven wraps, we’ll be wearing our babies throughout the month as we get out and move! Where will the #TULAlove turn up next? Stay tuned…

Thinkbaby and Thinksport. It’s August, so the weather is hot. A big part of #TLBmoves is getting active outdoors (work that natural vitamin D!). A good, safe sunscreen and water bottles are necessities. Thinkbaby and Thinksport care as much as we do when it comes to keeping our families safe from harmful chemicals. We’re staying hydrated and keeping sunburns at bay, minus the endocrine disruptors!

When?
#TLBmoves will run from August 1st-31st, 2014, but we hope you’ll keep moving long after the end of the month! (We may have something up our sleeves to that end, too!)

How?
Participation is on the honor system. Counting steps can be fun, but the point isn’t a number (on a pedometer, scale, or otherwise) – it’s making healthy choices and becoming more active in general. It’s all about feeling good! Moms can track their activity via whatever means they choose. (You can use a FitBit, another pedometer, you can time three five-minute songs for a dance party in your living room – it’s up to you!)

Where?
Anyone, anywhere can participate! We’ll be announcing some fun prizes from our brand partners, and those are limited to the United States at this time, but the world is your oyster if you want to get active with us!

JOIN OUR PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP (Please note: this is a co-ed community where you’ll find support as we get active and make healthy choices together. Judgement free! Come as you are, this group is your #TLBmoves tribe!)

JOIN OUR FITBIT FORUM (The four #TeamTLBmoves mamas will be using FitBits to track our steps! They’re totally optional, but if you want to use one, you can grab yours here: http://bit.ly/TLBfitbit.)

Who?
You, your friends, your kids, your partner, your boss, your mom, your dad… anyone! Though The Leaky Boob is focused on encouraging families primarily through breastfeeding, we support breastfeeding moms and everyone that supports them. Breastfeeding isn’t a requirement to participate with TLB and #TLBmoves. (If you are breastfeeding and you’re wondering about exercise and breastfeeding, we have an article all about that here.

We’ll have more updates soon – in the meantime, please follow TLB on Instagram to keep up with #TLBmoves. Use the hashtag #TLBmoves on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to share your pics. We want to see what you’re doing to MOVE, mamas!

Filed Under: Breastfeeding, breastfeeding support, dads, family, father, Featured, Fitness, fun, motherhood, Parenting, postpartum, The Leaky Boob, World Breastfeeding Week Tagged With: #TLBmoves, Breastfeeding, fit family, fit moms, get outside, Joovy, physical fitness, ThinkBaby, Tula, WBM2014, WBW2014, world breastfeeding week

TLB Reviews: A Mother’s Boutique Annee Matthew Maternity Wear

July 1, 2014 by TLB Reviews Writing Team 2 Comments

We’re talking maternity and nursing clothes today on TLB Reviews!

The Goods: Nursing tops and maternity bottoms. We reviewed the Keyhole Tunic and Maternity Leggings from the Annee Matthew line at A Mother’s Boutique.

The Reviewers: Amy and Kileah

Kileah rocking the Keyhole Tunic in Indigo!

A very-much-over-being-pregnant Amy in the Keyhole Tunic (fuschia) and leggings.

A very pregnant Amy in the Keyhole Tunic (fuchsia) and leggings.

The Good:

Amy says… I have to talk about the leggings first. I had a HUGE pregnant belly and anything cutting into it, especially on the underside, wasn’t going to fly. I absolutely loved these leggings (they can be worn below or pulled over the belly). They’re like being able to legitimately wear PJs outside the house! They’re incredibly comfy, even over the course of a 12 hour day. Paired with the Keyhole Tunic and a light sweater, they made for a put-together outfit that wore well even through the very end of my pregnancy (when most other tops didn’t cover the length of my belly). Now that I’m breastfeeding, the Keyhole Tunic is an easy go-to, since it looks nice (and conceals my postpartum belly a bit) and I know I can nurse in it. (Note: If you’re in the Pittsburgh, PA area, I highly recommend stopping into Judy’s boutique! She has an area where little kids can play and the personalized bra fitting and shopping service is great!)

Kileah says… Have you ever gotten that twang of inner anxiety over purchasing a NICE item of clothing on the internet? Will I get the size right? What if I think the colour makes me look like a circus clown? Yeah. Online purchasing anxiety was set to rest when the keyhole tunic arrived in the mail. I had chosen the jewel-toned purple color and WOW. The moment I slipped it on I noticed how gracefully it flattered my soft 4 months post partum midsection! It gave me the perfect fit in the shoulders, the fabric seams didn’t creep me out, the fabric itself was so soft and lightweight, and the length. OH THE LENGTH! I have paired it with printed leggings, or dark wash skinny jeans, a silk scarf, have thrown a light sweater over it, put some fantastic jewelry with it and creatively breastfed from nearly EVERY DIRECTION in this lovely top. Bonus: this top is well suited for pregnancy, post partum and breastfeeding. I’d say that’s a win, people.

The Bad:

Amy says… Some people will balk at the price, especially for the top. I get that. I love a good deal and dropping almost $60 on one top can seem crazy to me, too. But (but!)…the quality is good and I know I’m going to breastfeed this kid for the next 2+ years. Having a few staples that I know are passable at most social events and are breastfeeding-friendly is worth a premium to me. The price tag may well be someone else’s “good” and still someone else’s “ugly.” It’s all relative.

Kileah says… Yeah. The price might create a bit of sticker shock for some, but in comparison to something you’d be getting at a premium store that would probably only get used during pregnancy, this is such a quality well-made piece and well worth the investment. A good wardrobe can go a long way for us, mamas!

The Ugly:

Amy says… I put the leggings through regular machine washing and drying (is there any other way?!). The elastic in the waistband ended up twisting such that I couldn’t really get it to flatten out again. (I probably could have, but I didn’t care to fight with it that much.) Other than that, no complaints.

Kileah says… I am not a pearl button kind of gal. My tunic came with a pearl button at the apex of the keyhole on the front and sometimes I think it clashes with certain styles of jewelry/looks. But it IS tiny…and if I really want to be a snob over such a great piece of clothing, I can always switch it out for something else. Definitely worth it!

Editors note: anyone else kind of wish Micah was reviewing these too? I’d love to hear what he thinks about the fit and the little pearl button. 😉

As we get our review program kicked off, we wanted to include the chance for someone else to get to review something as well with a giveaway. A Mother’s boutique is offering one $50 gift certificate to a lucky Leaky winner. We hope the winner will come and add their two cents in the comment section and on our Facebook page. Good luck! Due to shipping and customs constraints, this giveaway is open to USA residents only.
~Jessica

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Breastfeeding, giveaway, postpartum, Pregnancy, Review, The Leaky Boob Tagged With: A Mother's Boutique, Annee Matthew, breastfeeding top, Giveaway, leggings, Maternity clothes review, nursing shirt, review

Ergobaby Postpartum and Newborn care chat and giveaway

November 7, 2013 by theleakyb@@b 358 Comments

Ergobaby knows the importance of those first few days, weeks, and months with a new baby and that taking good care of mom is part of taking good care of baby. That’s why they are sponsoring a live chat on The Leaky Boob Facebook page with postpartum doula and IBCLC Marcy Sauter. That’s also why they are giving away some carriers and their new Ergobaby swaddlers (designed to allow freedom of movement while still providing a safe, snuggly swaddle), because supporting families from day one is what they’re all about.

To check out our chat and the wealth of information and support shared there, check out these links:

Introduction

Preparing for the postpartum and newborn period

Postpartum depression and mom care with breastfeeding

Postpartum and newborn care with older children and family

Postpartum mom and newborn care in special circumstances

What postpartum physical changes moms found surprising

Baby care essentials

Crazy new mom

The importance of rest postpartum and societal support

Moving beyond the postpartum and newborn phase

To be entered into the giveaways, click on the widgets below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: giveaway, postpartum Tagged With: babywearing, Giveaway, new baby, Newborn, postpartum

Breastfeeding after a C-Section

July 29, 2013 by theleakyb@@b 21 Comments

by Star Rodriguez, IBCLC- this post made possible by the generous support of Rumina Nursingwear.

During my pregnancies, I planned for a natural childbirth. No medications, vaginal, et cetera. It was going to be awesome.

Except that then I wound up with two c-sections. So that was unexpected. And scary. And threw a big wrench in the whole breastfeeding thing. I’d planned to have my baby skin to skin minutes after birth and after a natural delivery where I’d have a vigorous, hungry baby. Now I was exhausted and itchy and pukey and I could barely move. I had no game plan for this scenario.

My first c-section led to a lot of problems with breastfeeding. The lovely IBCLCs who helped me fix my breastfeeding relationship actually inspired me to begin this career path. In this article, I will pass along information that will (hopefully) help you if you are going to be having a c-section and plan to breastfeed.

With most c-sections, mom will get a lot of fluids. This often translate into an inflated birth weight for baby. Subsequently, your baby may pee a lot and appear to lose a lot of weight as it gets rids of the fluid (this can also happen if a mom has a lot of IV fluids and delivers vaginally; it’s just even more common in c-sections, though.) Most doctors and nurses are aware of this, but some are a little less familiar. Most hospitals have a cut off on weight loss for babies but not all hospitals take the inflation into account, some don’t. If your hospital does not, and you are asked to supplement, bottles are not always your friend. Nipple confusion and flow preference are real things. Not all babies will have an issue, but we don’t know which ones will. So instead of a bottle, try finger feeding, cup feeding, spoon feeding, supplemented at the breast with an SNS, or something of the like. You can also ask if your baby can be supplemented with your milk.

Some c-section moms experience a delay in their mature milk coming in. C-sections are not linked with delayed copious milk production, but traumatic births are. Some c-sections can be very traumatic. Also, c-sections are more likely to offer longer separations between mom and baby; some theorize that the less stimulation in the early hours can delay things slightly, too. The moral of this story is to try to get your baby to the breast as soon as possible. More and more hospitals are having skin to skin in the operating room for non-emergency c-sections. If not, ask that your baby be brought to you right away when you are in recovery. If your hospital has a lactation consultant or breastfeeding expert, see if they can come see you as soon as possible, too, to assist in that latch, especially since you might be tired or not feeling well. If you still have issues with delayed milk, pumping can help. Sometimes a 24 hour burst of pumping after most feedings can ramp up milk production and make your body get its act together.

C-section moms can have a lot of soreness. First of all, don’t ignore the medications that they offer if you’re in pain. The normal pain relievers prescribed in hospitals are fine for breastfeeding moms to take. If you’re worried, ask your doctor or nurse. They will be happy to check for you. If you are sore and tired, it is often tempting to have someone else feed the baby while you sleep. No one but you can make that decision, but in those early weeks, skipping feedings can be a problem. If you do need someone else to feed your baby, again, I highly suggest not using a bottle. When soreness is a factor, trying an alternate position can also help moms more comfortable in those early days. C-section moms are often told to use the football hold, and while it is a hold that I love, every mom is different. If you nurse in a different hold or position that works for you and your baby, great! In my experience, about 50% of moms that love the football hold post c-section. The side lying hold is also a great one (where you lie down and pull your baby in to your breast – Miranda Kerr famously released a Tweet of her nursing her newborn this way) but is not always possible right away, since you are probably going to find it hard to impossible to move.

Support for a c-section mom is key. You just had surgery, and recovery can be hard. Breastfeeding naturally has a learning curve, and those two things together can feel so overwhelming. Make sure people are around to help you out the first week or so. My mother, for instance, made us dinner every single night for a week with my second baby. It was the greatest thing ever. I was so not up to cooking yet; I was still trying to figure out how to recover from surgery and handle two kids. Just make sure that you are getting supportive support, and not unsupportive support and be willing to protect your boundaries, it can make a difference in your breastfeeding journey.

Finally, many of the moms I see that are up and moving around regularly after surgery do better at breastfeeding. This is totally anecdotal, and it could just be that those moms didn’t have it as hard as others for whatever reason. But I do encourage moms to do what they can to feel like a normal human being again. Walk if you can. Those fluids that I talked about earlier? They are still in your body, too, and some can hang out in your breasts, making it harder for the baby to latch well. Moving can help your body to eliminate those fluids. Although I tell you to try to return to some semblance of normal as soon as you can, I am not telling you to overdo it. Go with your body and how it reacts. With my second baby, I was ready right away to walk after my c-section. I felt great. The second they allowed me, I had a nurse in there helping me up. Anddddddd then I projectile vomited and almost passed out. When I thought about it later, I was so gung ho to move nownownow that I ignored a lot of signs that I wasn’t ready yet (sporadic dizziness, nausea, and just a general unwell feeling.) Don’t force yourself to do things too early and don’t make yourself sick or hurt. Also, remember to eat and drink to hunger and thirst. This will help your body to heal and produce the milk that you need. You don’t have to force yourself to eat extra, just eat what you need.

And if possible, relax. Be gentle with yourself and your new baby. Having a newborn is challenging. Having a newborn and recovering from surgery is that geography between rock and hard place. Postpartum recovery is important not only to your health but in reality to your entire family, read this on how important taking time to heal birth is for your whole family. To take care of your baby well you must take care of you. Your recovery matters and your healing is a key piece in the continuation of your breastfeeding journey.

________________________

Did you have a c-section? Did it impact breastfeeding? If you had a c-section and breastfed, what helped you and how would you encourage other c-section moms?

________________________

Star Rodriguez, IBCLC, RLC is a provider in the Central Lakes, MN area. She provides services online at Lactastic Services and in person. She also blogs for The Leaky B@@b and volunteers her services to loss mothers at Stillbirthday.

Filed Under: Article, Articles from the professional experts, birth, Breastfeeding, breastfeeding support, Breastfeeding the newborn, Featured, New article, postpartum, Relational Resource Tagged With: birth, Breastfeeding, breastfeeding after c-section, breastfeeding challenges, IV fluids and infant weight loss, weight loss for breastfed baby

Help them help you- new baby sign with ways for visitors to help

July 27, 2012 by theleakyb@@b

Sugarbaby, minutes old. Photo by Debra Parker

For my last 2 babies, my midwife had a piece of paper she taped to my front door before she left after the birth. Announcing to visitors that there was a new baby in the house, it shared birth facts such as weight, length, name, date, etc. That part was nice but what I really loved was the part about what visitors could do. Informing them that a new baby means help is needed and that their visit should be brief, this little piece of paper taped to my front door encouraged those that loved us and wanted to celebrate with us to keep their voices low, limit their time, understand if we needed to be alone, and give them ideas of how to help such as offering to do the dishes, sweep a floor, run the vacuum, or take the bigger kids to the park. In short, it helped our visitors figure out how to be the best kind of visitors and I discovered that I didn’t mind having people stop by as much as I did with my older kids simply because they helped more and were more understanding of our needs. Knowing they already saw a notice of sorts on the front door before they came in made it easier for me to respect my own boundaries, excusing myself to rest or not feeling awkward about them asking if they could help with something around the house.

There are far too many expectations on families when they have a new baby. Respecting the postpartum recovery and the important bonding that needs to happen with the new family member sets up families to continue on well for the long haul. If you’re breastfeeding, this time is crucial to establishing your breastfeeding relationship and focusing on that will have a long term pay off. Pushing for too much too soon, other people interfering with the bonding, can leave moms feeling burnt out and unwell months, maybe even years later. Having true support and help to take the time to really heal leads to endurance in the parenting journey. That, and knowing we’re not alone along the way.

So my gift to you is my version of this life-saving piece of paper. Ask your care provider to sign it complete with the appropriate initials behind their name then stick it on your front door when your little one arrives and leave it there for at least 6 weeks (8 if you birth via c-section). Be a good friend and print it off to give others that are expecting for them to put on their front door. Don’t hesitate to point out the note, referring to it by asking if they saw how much baby weighed or how long she was and if they didn’t notice, encourage them to go check out the info posted on the front door. It can be hard to ask for help yet not allowing others to help ends up creating isolation and robbing others of the joy of offering support and encouragement by helping. This little bit of guidance can help not only the new mom and family but the friends and family that want to offer quality support but just aren’t sure what is needed. Take the guess work out of the picture and everyone wins.

new baby help sign for front door

Filed Under: Article, baby, birth, Breastfeeding, Breastfeeding the newborn, family, Featured, form letter, Jessica, postpartum, Relational Resource Tagged With: birth, birth healing, delivery, new baby, new baby help, postpartum, postpartum recovery

Babymooning- 12 signs you are the mother of a breastfeeding newborn

May 1, 2012 by theleakyb@@b

I’m babymooning. Sugarbaby and I are doing very well, now 12 days postpartum. I’ve been trying very hard to take it easy and respect this postpartum time for myself and it has been paying off. Over the last almost 2 weeks I’ve been simply enjoying my baby, my family, and resting. Cherishing this newborn time that goes too fast has been my priority.

I wanted to share some observations I’ve made during my babymoon, maybe you can relate and I’m sure you can add some of your own.

You know you’re the mom of a breastfeeding newborn when…

You finally get to take a shower and within 10 minute of getting out you already have leaked milk all over your clean shirt.
As much as you like the longer, thicker hair you grew during pregnancy, hacking it off with a dull pair of scissors is starting to sound like a good plan between the frequency of showers you get, the death-like grip of a tiny handful of hair your baby is capable of, cleaning spit up out of it several times a day, and the nagging fear of a hair tourniquet.
You wonder why you didn’t invest in more yoga pants and are certain you will never wear blue jeans again.
Your favorite food is: “anything someone else made.”
Any time someone hugs you any way but with a side hug you wince.
The old adage “never wake a sleeping baby” doesn’t apply when your boobs are rock hard boulders crushing your chest. Yes, you will wake your baby for some relief.
You wish you had jedi powers for every time you forget to grab a drink of water before you sit down to breastfeed… again.
“Sleep when baby sleeps” seems like a good plan but you wonder when you’d get to pee or brush your teeth or eat. Then you realize that sleep trumps everything else and decide you’ll pee, brush your teeth, and eat while holding your baby.
Something seems really funny and you laugh hysterically only to forget what was so funny 5 minutes later.
Shirts are “clean” unless the smell is too bad or there is obvious spit-up or poop on them, dried milk leaks don’t count as “dirty.”
The stash of reusable breastpads that seemed so impressive before giving birth is used up in one day after your milk comes in.
You’d rather sniff your baby’s head snuggled on your chest than even your favorite flower any day.

The Leakies on The Leaky Boob Facebook page had plenty more here and I hope you’ll add your own in the comments below. Now back to my baby head sniffing!

Filed Under: Article, baby, Boobs, Breastfeeding, Breastfeeding the newborn, breasts, Featured, Jessica, motherhood, nursing, postpartum Tagged With: Baby, babymoon, birth, Breastfeeding, breastmilk, family, mom, new mom, Newborn, postpartum

Gear up, baby!

April 17, 2012 by theleakyb@@b

I’m a simple kind of gal. There is very little I feel we need for a new baby and then some things I want for a new baby. Really it comes down to something for the pee/poop, boobs, and something to keep the newbie tied to me. But there are somethings beyond that we get to help care for our newest little person. Some are our basics, others make it easier, and still others are a luxury. Most of this can be found at yard sales, thrift stores, craigslist, consignment shops, and hand-me-downs from friends, we rarely buy brand new. Everyone’s list will look a bit different, what works for one family won’t for another. Here’s our breakdown.

Basics:

diapers- we cloth diaper, here’s what we find essential

3 snappis
prefolds, hand-me-downs and from Green Mountain Diapers
wool covers- mostly homemade hand knit or repurposed wool, some PUL covers from Thirsties (I ordered some new Duo Wraps from Lullaby Kisses)
detergent- trying Thirsties Super Wash this time, also ordered from Lullaby Kisses as well as Rockin’ Green.
cloth wipes- flannel squares work well as do baby wash cloths
diaper ointment- my babies always have sensitive skin, I love Motherlove Herbal’s Diaper Rash and Thrush, cloth diaper safe, works well, gentle on my babies’ sensitive skin, and you can’t beat these ingredients. Oh, and a pot of it lasts forever!
Wetbags- dirty diapers need a designated spot. Wetbags do the job without nasty pails of soaking diapers. We have one big one (from Goodmama ages ago) and 2 medium ones for the diaper bag, and 1 small one to hold wipes, all WAHM ones. (Lullaby Kisses has a good selection of these too.)

clothes

5 or so gowns- baby in a bag, easy for changing in the middle of the night
5 or so footed PJs
5+ t-shirts
dozen socks (because there is always one missing)
3 hats (1 on their head, 1 in the laundry, 1 ready- because they somehow get poop on them)
8 or so bottoms- most of ours are hand knits, have extras for poop accidents

sleep

Moses basket- typically a hand-me-down or borrowed, can be moved room to room or outside.
carrier- because they usually sleep on me or their daddy and with work and family I need to be able to multitask. You really only need one versatile carrier. We already have a Moby, my go-to carrier for a newborn (also available at Lullaby Kisses), a Beco, my go-to carrier for longer excursions when they are a bit bigger; a homemade mei-tai, and was recently gifted my first woven wrap (a Didymos– so pretty). I lost my ring sling (that I’ve had for years!) and so I’m getting a new one from Paxbaby.com (they carry EVERYTHING and have great personalized service) because it’s my “fast” carrier.
baby blankets for light swaddling, warmth, and to throw down wherever baby ends up sleeping when not on mommy or daddy.

bath

water- breastmilk poop is water soluble, doesn’t even need a cleaning agent besides water.
bath tub- I usually bathe with my babies the first few weeks so I just hold them on my lap in the tub.
2-3 wash clothes to gently scrub the neck folds.
2 hooded towels, because they WILL poop on one leading to another bath and the need for another towel.

travel- leaving the house

Car seat- no exception. I’ve never started with a convertible, always an infant car seat AKA bucket. It stays in the car most of the time. This time it’s the same Chicco we had with Smunchie and then we’ll be going to clek’s new Foonf when Sugarbaby is ready for a convertible and it will last us years. It doesn’t have to be the best of the best or top of the line but a good seat with a high safety rating is an essential for our family. This is one area where we see spending big dollars to be essential for ultimate safety, it’s not a luxury. As a major yarn lover I’ve sold yarn in the past to be able to afford the kind of seat we could feel good about.
carrier- we don’t keep our babies in the bucket seats, they go from the car seat into a carrier.
bag for diapers
2 wet bags- wipes and dirty diapers
2 changes of clothes
thin blanket- to lay down for changes if need be.
top for mom- I’m going to leak and I want to be prepared just in case.
breast pads- I have a pair in my bra and a pair in my bag. This is vital as I leak a lot. I’ll be wearing Bamboobies most of the time and trying out Posh Pads for the first time.
burp cloths- spit up happens. Whether it’s a diaper or a fancy boutique burp cloth, it’s essential to have something to clean up with. We already have some special ones that were made for different babies along the way.

play time

blankets- all types: thick, thin, big, little, homemade, store bought, etc. I like to have a nice stack of blankets for time on the floor, making a nest in a basket for time outside, for peek-a-boo, and for anything else that seems useful.
toy/lovey- no, they aren’t playing or interacting with these things yet but I have found one way to help older siblings respect the new baby and their space is to have something that is brand new for them, set apart as “theirs.” Often my big girls pick out the item and often the item (sometimes items) actually do become the lovey object of choice.

feeding

my boobs

Nice to have

diapers- cloth

different styles- while the basic prefold is our workhorse diaper, it’s nice to have different styles. We have some fitteds, a couple of pockets (LolliDoo’s eco pockets are great!), and an all-in-one.
cloth wipes, specifically for wiping up little bums, these are thicker than wash clothes. Happy Heinys has some nice basic wipes you just throw in with your diaper laundry.

clothes

a few special pieces, just for the new baby, something I’ll save to give them for their children one day.
a couple of cute outfits they can poop on for you.
a few handmade/hand knitted/hand sewn items from me and other family member/friends.
extras of everything so I don’t have to do laundry as often.

Sleep

a special blanket designated as new for the baby, usually handmade. My mom has a friend that loves to crochet blankets and so I pick out the yarn, my mom buys it, and this friend makes something beautiful with it. I love this more than I can say. It helps a lot too, everyone knows it’s the baby’s blanket, and it gives the new big sisters a way to help take care of the baby too. Then, as the baby gets older, they love hearing about how it was made for them, why I picked the colors I did, and how it’s all their own. These are treasures in our home. But if you don’t have someone to make you a handmade blanket and won’t be making one yourself, I love these blankets from Sarah’s Silks and have quite a few friends whose children grow up loving their special soft blankets. But since you don’t lay babies down with blankets anyway, these really aren’t for sleep in the first year, more like for cuddling to sleep.
cosleeper- we borrowed one of these from a friend with Squiggle Bug, loved it. It was particularly nice when my hormones went crazy and I was having the night sweats. We haven’t been able to budget for one since but it was really nice to have then.
I also think one of those moses basket stands would be nice to have though the cosleeper and the stand would be overkill. Either one would be nice.
a variety of carriers. Since I’m going to be wearing my baby more than I am anything else, it’s nice to have some options in carriers. Like maybe something that will go with everything: a Girasol Rainbow wrap. (I might lust after that one.)

bath

Dr. Bronner’s baby mild liquid soap.
A simple lotion or oil for massage, I’m using Motherlove Herbal’s Birth and Baby oil which is an apricot and lavender oil- smells amazing.

Travel- leaving the house

diaper bag- something with lots of pockets and compartments and I really like to have a big one for longer outings with room for a carrier, and a small one for shorter outings.
stroller- I usually wear my babies, it’s true, but sometimes I like to put them in a stroller for various reasons (i.e. bra shopping while babywearing is a tad difficult) and sometimes it’s for nothing more than holding various paraphernalia including the diaper bag. We’ve had the same stroller for ages, it’s falling apart so I’m hoping it makes it through one more baby before we trash it. If not I’ll be checking out craigslist, thrift stores, and yard sales.

Play time

swing or bouncy seat- while we wear our babies most of the time, sometimes I have to set them down for my own sanity, shower, or just a change of pace for all of us.
play gym or activity bar- they can’t really do anything with it but throw down a blanket and put them on their back under that toy bar and I get enough time to cook up some bacon as they stare in wonder, particularly at the one with the mirror. But my favorite thing? How the older siblings get in on the action by talking to baby, jingling the toys dangling, and showing them how it all works.
a couple of natural wood rattles like this one, this one, this international breastfeeding symbol one, or the classic favorite Sofie. These become heirlooms and fun to share.

Breastfeeding

as far as baby is concerned, nothing is nicer to have than boobies.

Luxury

diapers- cloth

some fun, fancy diapers in fun fancy prints or with embroidery. There are so many brands out there, I just picked a few to try and bought the prints I liked. We’ve had ours for years though and didn’t buy any for Sugarbaby this time.
pretty colors, super soft fabric, maybe even custom made… velour wipes are so pretty, clean up so well, and are quite the splurge. Hazelbee Baby has a great selection in all the colors of the rainbow and then some. Simply beautiful.

clothes

a line of clothing- picking a line from a company and getting a few pieces from that line. I fell hard for some stuff from Zutano this time around and was so excited when it came up on Zulily. Plus, this incredible company truly supports breastfeeding and has a breastfeeding/baby friendly work environment for the moms that work for them. Beautiful clothes and an amazing company that supports a cause close to my heart? Yes please!
special yarn that gets made into a special outfit. Luxury for both me and baby plus it becomes a keepsake.
soft shoes- they don’t walk anywhere but they sure are cute! Plus, they help keep those baby socks on that we’re losing otherwise.

sleep

I have long admired, though never been able to afford, a baby hammock like this one. We cosleep but in a combination of room sharing and bed sharing and since we often still have company from our big kids in the middle of the night, I would love something like this for Sugarbaby. This is definitely one of my luxury wish list items.
I’m big on blankets I’m noticing. The last 3 of our babies (including Sugarbaby) have gotten a custom bamboo velour blanket from Zaichiki Baby. We pick out the colors as a family and order them a toddler size blanket. So they get the handmade crochet blanket and one bamboo blanket. These become best sleeping buds as time goes by and let me tell you, the bamboo velour is divine. This one is Smunchie’s and this one is Squiggle Bug’s.

bath

these and these– can you imagine? We don’t have them but they sure seem nice!
hooded baby bathrobe/sack- someone gave us one of these when Earth Baby was born and I was surprised to discover I loved it. Put her in it right out of the bath, zip it up, and snuggle! One of the cutest things and it seemed to instantly calm her. We’ve had it ever since, it’s a little worn looking these days.
Earth Mama Angel Baby Bundle of Suds and/or the Non-scents Head to Toe wash, and the Angel Baby Oil because baby massage is awesome. I also really love all of Weleda’s baby products (and then some) and am so grateful we were given the Baby Starter Kit with an earlier baby and now a couple of Weleda products are on our wish list with our new babies. (Pssst… they have a baby massage video on their site plus if you buy 2 baby products and use the code “BABYDOLL” at check out they’ll include a cute little free baby doll with your order!)

Travel- leaving the house

Ness Diaper Bag– because they’re gorgeous and incredibly well designed! (I want one, totally drooling over these bags.)
JuJu-Be Diaper Bag– because they’re fun! This hip messenger style would probably be my pick.
I got to play with some luxury strollers at the ABC Expo this past fall and wow, I had no idea what I was missing. Still way out of my price range but totally dreamy, I loved most of the ones I got to try. Check out Phil and Teds, iCandy, and Bugaboo, if you’re in the market for a stroller that really does make your life easier.

Play time

Lambskin cuddle rug- I have wanted one of these for a long time and this past fall even figured out what brand I’d get if I could. I love the short cut of the Lamby cuddle rug and this would be my choice to have to lay down for play times and sleepy time. On my wishlist!

Breastfeeding

my boobs

As Sugarbaby is expected any day now I find myself checking to be sure everything is ready for having a new baby, even things I know won’t be used right away. “Stuff” doesn’t make a home ready for a new baby but there is a lot of “stuff” that helps a family care for their new arrival including helping with the transition of adding a family member. The tangible preparations can go a long way in helping with the mental and emotional preparations for a new baby. Sugarbaby won’t be interested in playing with the new wood rattle waiting on the shelf in our room but every time I look at it I look forward a little bit more to my sweet babe being in my arms. Coming up I’ll be sharing my lists for me and for the family because having a baby isn’t just about the baby, you have to take care of everyone.

_______________________________

What does your list look like? Basic, nice to have, and luxury, what would you put on your list of baby gear to have?

Filed Under: Article, baby, birth, family, Featured, Jessica, Parenting, postpartum, Pregnancy Tagged With: Baby, baby gear, family, layette, new baby, Newborn, postpartum

Dear Nurse Julie- a letter to my labor and delivery nurse

January 30, 2012 by theleakyb@@b

Dear Nurse Julie,

You were in my life for about two and a half days 13 years ago, I’d never met you before nor have I seen you since. It may have been brief but you made a huge difference in my life and I owe you a deep debt of gratitude.

I had prepared so much for the birth, read everything I could get my hands on including an OB text book, took a childbirth education class, and practiced Bradley method relaxation for weeks at home with The Piano Man. We knew what we wanted for our birth and after a complicated pregnancy, we were prepared to fight for it. When I went into labor at 41 weeks and 4 days we were ready. The Piano Man was an amazing advocate for me, actively intercepting anyone that entered the room and questioning every procedure (no enema!) while helping me relax and focus on the work of birthing our daughter. Together, he and I made a great labor and birthing team. I’m pleased to say that 5 babies later and one on the way, we still do.

Our bags were packed, there was film in the camera (remember that? Cameras that used film?), we were so ready to have a baby. Except for one thing: we had done nothing to prepare for breastfeeding. The thought hadn’t even occurred to us. We knew that was how we were going to feed out baby once we had her in our arms but we read nothing, took no classes, and never even thought to see if there was anything we needed to know before breastfeeding. Both of our mothers had breastfed, we knew a few friends that had so really, how hard could it be?

All our nurses were nice enough and the birth was mostly amazing with some traumatic experiences. Earth Baby was born at 6.39am and we met you shortly after with the shift change. Instantly I felt connected to you, your smile, your warmth, and your genuine congratulations on our baby as if you hadn’t seen hundreds of births and newborns every week. After I was all stitched up, hydrated, and my blood loss dealt with you asked me an incredibly important question: “are you ready to breastfeed your baby?”

Nobody had mentioned it. I knew it was in my chart because something I had read about birth plans suggested to ask for it to be put in my chart. Still, you were the first to say anything about it. Having just lost a lot of blood with a partially retained placenta and manual D&C, I was feeling weak and more tired than I had ever felt in my life. Holding my baby, let alone breastfeeding her, completely wore me out. Like a dear in headlights I told you yes, but only because I remembered that it was the plan. Your response: “good, because she’s hungry and I think she’s ready to eat well for you” jarred me out of feeling my exhaustion and into the reality that my baby needed me to meet her needs. I really was ready to feed my baby.

I don’t remember how long you stayed in my room but somehow, you made me feel like I was the only mom that needed your attention. Perched on the side of my bed, you helped me get into a position I found comfortable, plumped plenty of pillows to support Earth Baby and I, encouraged me to drop the shoulder of the hospital gown, and talked me through latching Earth Baby for the first time. Your encouragement for how well we were doing, what a healthy strong latch Earth Baby had, and suggestions for positions made me feel like not only could I breastfeed my baby, I already was and doing great! You answered every one of my questions, no matter how basic or obvious the answer may have been, as though it was a pleasure to answer my important concerns with patience and care. Even when Earth Baby was latched and I was comfortable, you stayed and chatted, telling me about your 2 boys, that you had breastfed your second one but not the first, and telling me about how you were drawn to OB nursing and how you loved helping moms.

It showed.

Once I was moved to the postpartum wing, you continued to visit me. Your ongoing support regarding everything I was experiencing from peeing for the first time after giving birth to changing my baby’s diaper to breastfeeding helped grow my confidence that I could, in fact, take this baby home and not kill either of us. When I told you my nipples were hurting you showed me how to position my baby’s chin lower on my breast so she took a big mouthful of nipple. When I was still drained from the birth, you explained different positions and helped me practice using them. Constantly considerate, you never touched me without asking and receiving my permission first and even then you rarely handled my breast choosing instead to carefully and patiently explain how I could do it myself. I can’t even begin to tell you how far that went in helping me not be afraid or feel strange about my own body. From the bottom of my heart I thank you for that gift, it has remained with me to today, growing stronger over the years.

When the grumpy nurse, who’s name I can’t recall because for the last 13 years I’ve referred to her as “grumpy nurse,” told me I was starving my baby because my breasts were empty and not meeting my baby’s needs, I cried. A lot. Earth Baby had lost over a pound in just a matter of 2 days and the grumpy nursery nurse that made me cry told me I’d never be sent home with my baby if I didn’t agree to give her formula. Oh the things I know now! All those fluids we had in labor… but back then I had now idea. I caved. Still weak from the blood loss, recovering from a 4th degree tear, and afraid my baby was hurting I agreed to a bottle of formula. My heart ached, I never meant to starve my baby and my fears were confirmed, I was already failing as a mother. She whisked my baby away, a satisfied smile on her face as she told me I was making a good choice for the good of my baby, and ran off with my daughter to feed her the bottle of formula. I sobbed. You came in shortly after and was surprised Earth Baby wasn’t with me. When I told you why I saw the storm clouds gather in your normally incredibly friendly eyes and you told me you’d be back. What I didn’t know is that you must have marched out to that nurses station, called our pediatrician, asked him about the situation, advocated for our breastfeeding relationship, asked him to call the nursery, and headed down there to get my baby back for me. When you walked in about 15 minutes later with grumpy nursery nurse and my daughter, I had already spoken with our pediatrician who called me to assure me our baby was going to be fine breastfeeding and at this point did not need any formula. He told me that he had spoken with you and trusted you that Earth Baby and I were doing great breastfeeding, that my milk was coming in, and that I was already a pro. I cried again. Someone believed in me.

Somewhere I still have the picture of you and I and Earth Baby just before we were discharged. My face is red from crying having just gotten Earth Baby back. You had told me that we were going to be fine, that I was a natural, that Earth Baby was lucky to have me as her mom, and that you enjoyed working with me. That’s what you told me. Some many had dismissed me as a young mom and at 20 I was, but you stuck with me respectfully teaching me as though my age was of no consequence. What you taught me without directly saying so was that I could feed my baby, my body was amazing, I didn’t need to be afraid of my breasts, and I could advocate for myself and my baby. My husband believed in me but I knew he was just as clueless as I was. But you? You were not only an experienced mother, you were a nurse that saw mother after mother with new babies and you believed in me. If you said I could do it, I probably really could.

Today, 13 years later, I owe a lot to you. For starters, my breastfeeding relationship with Earth Baby which lasted a year and then extending on to 4 (now almost 5!) babies. Thanks to you, today I now help support other mothers with their birthing and breastfeeding journeys. Thank you for supporting me even when I wasn’t sure how to support myself. Thank you for giving me the courage to be the kind of mother I naturally was but was insecure about stepping into. Thank you for being kind and encouraging when I was most vulnerable. Thank you for making a difference in my life and the lives of my children. You have touched more than you know. I want to be like you and just love helping moms.

I hope it shows.

Sincerely,

Jessica Martin-Weber

The Leaky Boob

Filed Under: Article, Breastfeeding, breastfeeding help, breastfeeding stories, breastfeeding support, Breastfeeding the newborn, Featured, Jessica, Letters from The Leaky Boob, Parenting, postpartum Tagged With: Breastfeeding, breastfeeding a newborn, Breastfeeding support, hospital, L&D nurse, Newborn, OB nurse

Baby Explains- Normal Newborn Behavior

August 18, 2011 by theleakyb@@b

By Diana Cassar-Uhl, IBCLC

Dear Mommy,

Thank you so much for breastfeeding me! You probably already know that your milk is designed especially for me, and is better than anything else you could feed me.

I know that right now, you feel like your friends who aren’t breastfeeding their babies seem to have an easier time of things. Those other babies sleep soundly and longer between feedings, they drink so much, and they don’t fuss to eat all the time like I do! I can tell you’re getting a little bit frustrated, and I hear all the advice you’re getting … my grandma says you weren’t breastfed and you turned out just fine, my daddy says he feels like he can’t do anything to soothe me, and that lady with the cold hands that you call “doctor” gave you a can of something that she says will help me grow faster. You’re tired and frustrated because taking care of me just seems too hard, but please mommy, before you give up this yummy breastfeeding thing, let me explain some of my behavior to you. It might help you feel better.

First, if you and I were separated after I was born, for any reason (maybe it was hospital protocol that I be left under a warmer, maybe you were recovering from surgery), I’ve got some catching up to do, because I probably lost more weight than my friends who got to stay close to their mommies. It’s OK … I’m really good at letting you know when I need some more calories, but it’s important that you let me breastfeed lots and lots, even if my grandma says “he just ate!!” In my first few days, the nurses at the hospital might tell you I’m hungry and your body can’t make enough milk for me … but mommy, that colostrum from your breasts is some awesome stuff! It’s packed with protein, which binds to any bilirubin in my body (elevated bilirubin causes jaundice in more than half of newborns) so I can poop it on out. It’s also a great laxative, which makes it easy for me to get all that black, tarry meconium out of me and we can move on to the seedy, yellow-brown poops that are much easier to clean off my sweet tushie. Now, the colostrum is really thick and sticky, and I’m so small and still figuring out how to move my tongue, and we’re both still trying to get comfortable together, so it might take me 20 minutes or longer to suck out just ONE TEASPOON (5-7 mL) of that liquid gold.

But it’s OK, mommy! You know, there is really nowhere I’d rather be than in your arms, hearing your sweet voice and smelling you — even though you haven’t had a shower since before I was born, you’re just delicious to me. And something else you should know about me … even though I have a really cute “Buddha belly” that looks all chubby, the capacity of my stomach on the day I’m born is just 5-7 milliliters – that’s the size of a small marble! You’re the smartest woman in my whole world, so I know you see the connection here! The amount of colostrum in your breast is exactly the capacity of my tummy! My stomach walls on my first day of life are very rigid and won’t stretch; this is why, if anyone tries to feed me with a bottle, I’m going to spit most of it back up again, even though I eagerly suck at it. See, mommy, I only have two ways to send and receive information from my brand-new world – I can cry, and I can suck. I can’t see much, and all these sounds are so much louder than when I was inside you, and I can use my hands to help me orient myself on your breast, but crying and sucking are pretty much how I make sense of everything.

From the Heart Photography – Tiffany Hileman

I know it seems really confusing, mommy, that I would want to suck and suck and suck even though my tummy is full. When I suck, lots of great things happen for both of us. I keep my own digestion moving by triggering the involuntary digestive muscles in peristalsis – moving the contents of my stomach along because I’m still moving my mouth and tongue, which are the beginning of my digestive tract. When you let me do all this suckling at your breast, I can very easily regulate how I suck, depending on why I’m sucking at any given moment. You can probably feel when I’m suckling nutritively and swallowing lots of milk, and when I’m kind of relaxed about it, feeding sort of like I’m savoring a bowl of ice cream … you know how sometimes, you scrape just a tiny bit onto your spoon, because you want it to last a long time? To me, you’re better than ice cream! But on a bottle, it’s impossible for me to suck and not get whatever’s in there, and that’s confusing to me, so I might keep sucking because that’s what my instinct is telling me to do, or I might realize my tummy hurts (because even on day 10, my stomach capacity is only a ping pong ball) and I’ll cry and cry because all I really know is crying and sucking!

A word about these instincts I feel … I really can’t help it, mommy, that I want to suckle so much. It’s just how I came out, and there doesn’t seem to be much that I can do about it. Please believe me, I’m not trying to trick you! In a few weeks, this need lets up a tiny bit, but for now, suckling is my M.O. But, do you want to know something really cool? I’m not the only one who benefits! When I suckle at your breast in these early days, your body actually activates prolactin receptors! Isn’t that amazing? In my first two weeks, the higher I make your prolactin levels go (my suckling triggers a prolactin surge in your body), the more of these receptors get activated in your breasts, and the higher your potential milk production will be for as long as you choose to breastfeed me. That’s one reason your lactation consultant tells you to wait on introducing that bottle or that binky– this prolactin receptor thing only happens for the first 10-14 days. After that, the prolatcin surges when I breastfeed are much smaller, so the more receptors there are to gobble up what prolactin is there, the more easily you’ll make all the milk I need.

Besides prolactin, there’s oxytocin, another hormone I activate when I am at your breast. Oxytocin is part of what makes you so addicted to me! It’s “the love hormone” and it helps you feel relaxed and content when we’re breastfeeding. Go ahead, mommy, exhale and relax! It’s OK! Oxytocin release is triggered by nipple stimulation, not necessarily milk removal (though when things are going well, my stimulation of your nipples usually means I’m removing milk!). Now, I know this might sound a little awkward coming from your baby, but I need you to know something about oxytocin. There are only three events in your life that trigger oxytocin release: nipple stimulation (like when I’m breastfeeding), labor (the oxytocin released during childbirth stimulates uterine contractions, which is why nipple stimulation might be suggested when labor stalls, and also explains why sometimes, after you breastfeed me, you feel an increased expulsion of lochia and maybe some cramping), and … orgasm!! Isn’t neat that the same hormone plays a part in making me, birthing me, and feeding me, and it’s a hormone that makes you feel GOOD to do all three?

Mommy, I know you are trying your very best for me and you’ve been worried about whether your body can satisfy my appetite. I know you’re used to being able to measure everything, and your breasts don’t have markers on them to tell you how much milk I got. Maybe you used a breast pump, and that confirmed your worries that there isn’t much milk there – but mommy, please understand that a good pump can mimic me, but your body wasn’t designed to have all these wonderful hormone surges for a cold piece of plastic with a noisy vacuum motor. You know that feeling you get when you hold my warmth and weight, smell how delicious I am, and nom nom nom on my fat cheeks? That feeling helps you make milk! That feeling is part of the whole system that was designed to make you need to be close to me, just as much as I need to be close to you. And mommy, I know you’re very busy, and important, and there’s so much you used to do before I came, and I know right now, it feels like you’ll never do those things again, and our house is getting messy, and maybe that scares you. But please know, every moment you spend holding me, every time you gaze lovingly at me, and every hour you spend breastfeeding me in these early days is so important to me, because you’re all I know. I love daddy and grandma and all of our friends, but I’m designed to be happiest and least stressed when I’m with you. Can you wear me in a sling or soft carrier after I’m milk-drunk? I really like listening to your heart beating while I sleep, and you are warm and soft and smell so good. That space between your breasts is perfectly sized for my head, and there’s nothing I like better than the feel of your skin against mine. Well, maybe there is something I like better … I love it when you sleep next to me after we’ve been breastfeeding. Oh, mommy, when you nurse me while lying down, you relax and your milk flows so nicely, and I feel like you’re so happy to be with me, and I’m very special to you because you don’t have to run off and do something else as soon as I’ve let your breast go.

And mommy, I have a promise to make to you. I can’t say for sure when it will happen, but there will come a day when I need you a little bit less intensely. My feedings will get more organized, my weight gain will stabilize, and sometimes, I’ll even like when my daddy or grandma or other loving person holds me. But today, I need you. You’ll always be my number one, even after we’re done breastfeeding, but I will learn, like you did, to defer my needs and to trust others to meet them once you and I get a good thing going. Thank you so much for all you’ve done for me so far. Until you start giving me an allowance, I hope my good health, sweet smiles, coos, and giggles will sustain you!

Love,

Baby

Many thanks to the hundreds of readers that shared so many beautiful photos of their newborn babies. There is just a small sampling here but you all have incredible photographs of your beautiful babies. Thank you for being willing to share and to all the photographers of these precious images!

Diana Cassar-Uhl, IBCLC and La Leche League Leader, has written articles for the La Leche League publications Leaven and Breastfeeding Today, and is the author of the La Leche League tear-off sheet Vitamin D, Your Baby, and You. She is a frequent presenter at breastfeeding education events. Excited about her work toward a Master of Public Health, Diana hopes to work in public service as an advisor to policymakers in maternal/child health and nutrition. Diana, mother to three breastfed children, has served as a clarinetist on active Army duty in the West Point Band since 1995. Diana enjoys running, writing, skiing, and cross-stitching when she finds herself with spare time. She also writes at Normal, like breathing.

Filed Under: Article, Articles from the professional experts, birth, Breastfeeding, Breastfeeding the newborn, breastfeeding twins, Featured, guest posts, Photos, postpartum, Relational Resource Tagged With: Breastfeeding, breastfeeding challenges, breastfeeding photos, breastfeeding su, IBCLC, Newborn, normal newborn behavior, Parenting, photos

We’re Moving!

by Jessica Martin-Weber and Amy West

TLB Reviews: A Mother’s Boutique Annee Matthew Maternity Wear

Ergobaby Postpartum and Newborn care chat and giveaway

Breastfeeding after a C-Section

by Star Rodriguez, IBCLC- this post made possible by the generous support of Rumina Nursingwear.

Help them help you- new baby sign with ways for visitors to help

Babymooning- 12 signs you are the mother of a breastfeeding newborn

Gear up, baby!

Dear Nurse Julie- a letter to my labor and delivery nurse

Baby Explains- Normal Newborn Behavior

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by Jessica Martin-Weber and Amy West

by Star Rodriguez, IBCLC- this post made possible by the generous support of Rumina Nursingwear.

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