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Say what? The stupid stuff people say to pregnant women

January 7, 2014 by 33 Comments
by Jessica Martin-Weber

Women have been getting pregnant, having babies, and breastfeeding for a long time.  Since, well, the dawn of time.  One would think all the stupid comments about these facts of life would have been said enough already that everyone would understand to never say them again.  Yet, according to this thread with Leakies on Facebook, that is hardly the case.  Stupidity still predictably spews forth from the mouths of strangers, friends, coworkers, and family members alike onto nauseated, bloated mothers-to-be everywhere.  Here’s a collection of some of our favorite and in case you were wondering, this would be a list of what NOT to say to a pregnant woman.  Ever.  Particularly if you value your life.

Photo credit: Kelli Elizabeth Photography

Photo credit: Kelli Elizabeth Photography

 

Was it planned?

Seriously?  You are actually asking that question?

 

You can tell its a girl. Girls steal the mother’s beauty, from the moment they’re conceived!

What?!   That’s pretty much the same as walking up to a pregnant woman and telling them they are ugly but it’s ok, their baby girl will be pretty.  It’s also asking for a woman hopped up on hormones that fluctuate with every craving who is likely struggling to control her own bladder on a regular basis to try to control herself and refrain from tearing the speaker apart.  Literally. You can tell you’re an idiot, did some baby steal your brains?

 

Whoa, you look like you’re ready to burst.

Oh gee, like we haven’t heard that before.  You look like you’re ready to get slapped.  Whoa, looks like you didn’t get the memo on what stupid stuff not to say to a pregnant lady.

 

Are you sure there’s just one in there because you are huge!

Thank you because this morning I was feeling especially trim and comfortable.  Said no pregnant lady ever.  Is it my turn now?  Can I speculate freely on why you look the way you do?

 

If you’re nauseated and/or throwing up you should eat crackers and ginger.

NOOOOOOOOOOO way!  Really?  How did I not think of that?  How come nobody in the past 3 months has thought to share this information with me every single chance they could get?

 

You know what causes that, right?

Stop thinking this is clever.  It is not clever.  Nobody that has ever heard this has thought it was clever.  In fact, they’ve all had pretty much the opposite thought.  And I might even say I’m more familiar with the process of what causes that than you are.  The real question is do you know what causes angry pregnant women?  Stupid people making stupid comments they think are clever.  And saying this to my husband, the father-to-be, is just as stupid.

 

Still pregnant?  Are you ever going to have that baby?

Nope.  I just haven’t gotten around to giving birth because I’m so lazy.  I plan to cross my legs and keep it in there FOREVER because it is really just so comfortable.  Not going to have it just so I can annoy you and hear more rude and stupid things from insensitive people making unwanted comments on my pregnancy.

 

Oh you just look miserable!

Actually I feel okay, but glad to hear I look so awful. Thanks.  Going to go cry now.  That was mean.  You may not have meant it to be mean but it was mean.

 

Looks like you’re getting close!

Close to what?  Peeing my pants?  Puking on you?  Punching someone?  No, 3 months to go still but thanks for reminding me that I’m freakishly large and will barely be able to walk in 8 weeks.

 

I could tell it’s a girl/boy because your boobs/butt/cheeks are bigger.

That’s just… strange.  Creepy strange.  Creepy strange, crazy rude.  Please stop looking at me to compare how my body has changed.  And if you do notice something, don’t even think of mentioning it to me.  On what planet is it ok to say something like that?

 

You don’t look pregnant from behind. 

Well that’s because my uterus is in the front.

 

Sleep while you can, it’s going to be hard once the baby is here!

Oh yeah because it is so easy to sleep when there’s another person inhabiting your body, kicking your bladder, holding dance parties, and squishing your stomach so you have indigestion.  Doesn’t everybody know it’s not like you can bank your sleep anyway?

 

Are you allowed to eat that?  You should eat/shouldn’t eat XYZ (whatever it is you’re craving and can keep down).

Sorry, you’re not my health care provider and I’m my own boss.  Do NOT get in the way of a pregnant lady and her food.  It won’t end well for anyone.  Capiche?

 

Hopefully next time you’ll get your boy/girl.

Right because the whole reason we would have another child was to get one with a certain set of genitals.

 

I just love to touch big ol’ pregnant bellies!

Maybe the pregnant bellies don’t want to be touched.

 

You’re so tiny, you don’t even look pregnant.  You’re not starving that baby are you?  Beauty isn’t worth it, you want a healthy baby, right?

Thanks.  Thanks a lot.  The implication that you think I’m abusing my child for vanity’s sake is beyond rude.

 

Do you know what you’re having?

Well, we thought maybe a puppy but they chew things and you have to house train them so we’re hoping for a hamster.  We get it, you’re curious about the sex of our baby but really, it’s time to find a different way to ask this question or, even better, just wait to see if we want you to know because if we do, we’ll volunteer that bit of information if we even know it ourselves.

 

You’re planning to have a c-section/vaginal/unmedicated birth?  Oh that’s crazy and here’s why you’ll change your mind on that.

I’m sorry, did I give the impression that I give a crap what you think about how I will be having my baby?  Because I don’t.

 

How far dilated are you?

The state of my cervix is not up for discussion, thanks.

 

Oh you plan to breastfeed?  Most women can’t keep up with what their baby needs, it will completely drain you so be sure to get some formula and bottles.

It’s a miracle anybody survived before there was formula.  Formula can be a helpful option for feeding a baby when needed but I’m not going into this assuming something is wrong.

 

Having babies ruins women’s bodies.

Being pregnant ruins women’s patience and saying misogynistic, insulting comments to a pregnant woman could very well end up ruining your face.

 

Oh you’re pregnant and going to give birth!  Here’s my/my friend’s nightmare of a pregnancy and birth story to make you feel so confident and excited for your own!

I bet you tell your children all the scary things that can happen at night just before they go to bed too, don’t you?

 

There are more but these were our favorites.  As in favorites to never, ever hear again to any pregnant woman anywhere.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Article, family, Featured, humor, Pregnancy Tagged With: , ,

Why I am not passionate about breastfeeding

December 11, 2013 by 6 Comments
by Jessica Martin-Weber
TLB creed

“How did you become so passionate about breastfeeding?”

This question comes up often.  For a while I would hem and haw an answer, stringing together some words that were an attempt at sounding intelligent and reasonable as to why I would have created and continue to run The Leaky Boob.  Awkward and fumbling, I hoped it covered the truth.

I’m not passionate about breastfeeding.

My second daughter received formula starting at 4.5 months and by 5 months was completely formula fed.  The reasons are hardly the point of me sharing this fact.  It was, we believed, the right thing for our family at the time and, like these things are want to be, complicated.

I never felt guilty about it, never even thought about feeling guilty about it.  It just was.  I’d like to say she was perfectly healthy and no issues what so ever but that wasn’t our experience.  Between reflux that took months to resolve, constipation issues that took just as long and several expensive experiments, and then RSV, pneumonia, strep throat, multiple ear infections, and more than I care to recount, her first year was more difficult than I had ever anticipated.  Formula didn’t make it better, much it was exasperated by formula.  Still, through all that, guilt about stopping breastfeeding never occurred to me.  Nor did anger, bitterness, or even hurt.  I was sad, disappointed that it didn’t work for us but that didn’t last long and there wasn’t really anything I could do about it.  Fighting like hell to be able to breastfeed had taken a toll and I was confident that giving it up was actually better for my daughter and I by that point.

I was right.

Later, when I shared my story with someone they comforted me, telling me dealing with that guilt must have been hard.  Strange, I thought, why would I feel guilty?  In that moment and many moments later as I reflected on the guilt I didn’t have, my confidence in my parenting and decision making began to erode a bit.  Already struggling with postpartum depression, this little chink in the foundation of my parenting led to me believing that I was not fit to be a mother.  It wasn’t this person’s fault but I entered a place of shadows and shame, afraid that I couldn’t trust myself to make decisions for my children.

Time, therapy, medication, and some really good friends supporting me by encouraging me to see that I was not, in fact, a horrible mother, helped me turn things around.  Through that though, I began to understand something far more important than breastmilk or formula: confidence isn’t being right, confidence is more than believing in yourself to do the right thing, confidence is having peace with who you are even when you make mistakes.  With my confidence growing again, I moved forward with my husband, embracing that doing the right thing for our family wouldn’t always be an issue of black and white, A and B, or left and right, but rather a sensitivity for all parties involved doing the best we could with whatever circumstances we would face with whatever resources, information, and understanding we had available at the time.

My next baby was breastfed, up until 18 months we had an easy, simple breastfeeding relationship that working full time and caring for 2 other children only complimented, never hindered.  Weaning with her came unexpectedly when the single most difficult and devastating parenting experience we have encountered to date hit us: the sexual abuse of our two eldest by a very dear friend.

It was tempting to unravel in that time and in many ways I did.  But our daughters needed me.  Faking it often, I attempted confidence even as I asked how could I let this happen, how could I not see the signs, how could I… have failed so badly?

More time, therapy, and really incredible friends supporting us, we got through the investigation, trial, and agonizing fragmentation of our family.  Each step was in uncharted and sometimes lonely waters with swells of failure sweeping over me.  There was grief, pain, hurt, bitterness, doubt, and anger, so much anger.  My confidence wavered and so did my husband’s.  We considered a cabin in Montana and cutting off the outside world.

Our daughters didn’t need Montana though, they didn’t need to go off the grid and be isolated.  What our daughters needed most was someone, something to be a safe landing place for them.  That was us.  There was never a moment that I was sure we were doing everything right as we walked the path in search of justice and healing and there were plenty of people telling us how we should be doing it or how we were doing it wrong.  In the midst of the pain, grief, and anger, the truth we had learned before became an anchor along with our faith and love: confidence is having peace with who you are even when you make mistakes.  Our daughters needed us to have confidence to help them land softly.  There was space for us to be honest about our insecurities and fear but the greatest gift we could give our children along with our love was to have peace in our ability to love them well even through this.

Today, 9 years later, I know my husband and I are not perfect parents, we’ve made choices that we would change if we were to have the chance to make them again.  Maybe I would fight harder to be able to breastfeed my second baby longer.  Maybe I would have feed us all with better food.  Maybe I would have done things differently in our relationship with our daughters’ attacker.  Maybe I would handle the abuse another way.  Maybe.  I don’t really know.  But I do know that having peace in who we are, holding on to peace even as it shreds in my hands pounded by guilt, bitterness, and anger, helped our daughters find peace in who they are.  Together, we found healing.

Any more when I am asked why I’m so passionate about breastfeeding I tell the asker the truth: it’s not breastfeeding I’m passionate about.  I support moms in breastfeeding because of the gift of confidence breastfeeding can be.  Maybe it won’t be for everyone but for many it is, it was for me and so this is one way I can offer support.  The science and relationship bonding are compelling on their own but they aren’t why I talk about breastfeeding so much.  By not apologizing for our bodies, not suppressing our bodies, and having peace in who we are and how we are can help mothers find the confidence they are going to need for the really tough parts of parenting.  Feeding their children, be it breastmilk or formula, is one of the very first steps all parents must take, undermining their confidence there is insidious and damaging.  People that are confident are more free to love, learn, and live with joy.  Babies with confident parents have a place to land softly no matter what life throws at them.  I’m not passionate about breastfeeding, I never have been.  People are my passion.  People start out as babies.  Babies are cared for by parents.  Parents are people.

This may not make me popular in some circles, I don’t mind.  But I believe that having a hurt, angry, bitter mother struggling with their own confidence and ability to parent is far, far worse than feeding a baby formula could ever be.  I think breastmilk is great but I think caring for people is even greater.  The benefits of confident parenting far outweigh the risks.

I would never tell a woman, or anyone, what to do with their body nor what to do with their child.  Respecting their ability and responsibility in making the right decision for themselves and their family based on the circumstances they face with the information and resources available to them at that time means I don’t know what they should do.  All I can do is offer support, information, and encourage them to embrace their confidence and move forward with peace.

This is why at The Leaky Boob we believe:

Feed the baby, care for the mother, support the family.

But if you need some help or support to feed your baby how you want: we are here.

If you need help with how to correctly mix and prepare a formula bottle: we are here.

If you need help with breastfeeding: we are here.

If you need help going back to work and continuing to breastfeed: we are here.

If you need help weaning (at any age): we are here.

If you need help starting solids: we are here.

If you just want to talk: we are here.

 

Walk in confidence, live with peace, land softly.

 

Community.  Support.  TLB.

Filed Under: Article, Breastfeeding, Breastfeeding and society, breastfeeding support, family, Featured, formula, guilt, Jessica, motherhood, Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rumina Fall Giveaway

October 5, 2013 by 188 Comments

“Rumina Nursingwear loves being part of The Leaky Boob community. We’re a company built not only on providing moms with reliable and comfortable breastfeeding products but we’re also a company that sees the value in partnering with communities like The Leaky Boob, to provide essential mother to mother support. As a business that was started by a mom who struggled with breastfeeding her son, Rumina Nursingwear strives to offer products that will help moms reach their breastfeeding goals. In creating Rumina products we always keep mom and baby in mind. From making sure baby has full skin-to-skin contact with mom while nursing to providing essential breast health with soft, stretchable fabrics. In our products and partnerships, we try to never forget what moms need in order to reach their goals: great products and a strong support group.”

~ Dawn, co-owner, Rumina Nursingwear

Dawn&Amanda_TLB

TLB:  Rumina’s Hands-Free Pump&Nurse bra is such a versatile and comfortable top.  Let’s go behind the scenes, and talk about what goes into the making of a Rumina product.  Where do you start?

Dawn:  It takes a lot to produce Rumina products but in the beginning it’s really just getting on the sewing table and piecing things together. You need to take your vision from in your head to the physical form. When you can actually see it, feel it and can try it on, that’s the first place you see what areas need to be improved on or changed. Pieces that seem like they would be easy on paper sometimes become the hardest aspects. The 2nd place where there is a lot of work is: the fit!  Women’s bodies are all unique and all the differences in a pregnant and newly postpartum mom are amazingly challenging. Trying to figure out how to accommodate all the differences took a few years from idea to placing our first production order of the Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tank. We learned a lot about sewing, fabrics, and manufacturing and we’re still learning!

TLB:  How long does it take to produce an item?

Dawn:  From the concept phase to actual production of the tank it took about 3 years, with the bra it has been about 2 years. After you get past the concept phase and you have the production pattern, the next hurdle is sourcing the quantity of materials needed.  Materials and fabrics are very important for us and this has been a very difficult process.  Once all the pieces are in the hands of your factory, it is about 8 weeks to produce in the US. If we produce the item off-shore it can take about 6 months. So we really have to plan our production schedule to keep our products in stock.

TLB:  How do you determine what you will or won’t make?

Amanda:  Unfortunately a lot of it has to do with our cash flow right now. We have a lot of ideas but can only focus on one at a time due to the costs involved. To figure out which idea to go ahead and start producing we have to determine how much demand there is, how long it will take in the concept phase and how much financial resources it will take. It takes a lot to produce Rumina products because of our patented design. You basically have to build everything around the patented hands-free pumping design, which sometimes limits what we can develop and constrains the creative design of the product at times.

TLB:  Is the creative and production process ever difficult or even explosive between the two of you?  

Amanda:  Haha, we’re sisters, anything can get explosive at times. But really, the creative and production process is actually not an area of contention between us. My sister does the majority of that piece. I support her with feedback, ideas and what I’m hearing from moms and retailers but she handles all the steps for the most part. I focus on the marketing and sales of the garments, so we really don’t butt heads too often.

TLB:  Tell us a bit about your new Crossover Bra!

Amanda:  We’re so excited for our Crossover Bras! We’ll have two options in the near future, a Relaxed fit and a Classic fit. The Relaxed Hand-Free Pump&Nurse Bra will be ideal for moms during their pregnancy and early postpartum. It will be made with a soft jersey knit, to not irritate sensitive breasts and nipples and great to wear as a sleep bra. It’s also stretchable enough to adjust during engorgement. Rumina’s Classic Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Bra will be more moderate support, great for all day wear to the office, for play or just out and about. Both allow moms to nurse with full skin-to-skin contact with baby and pump hands-free confidently with Rumina’s unique patented design.

TLB: Anything new that you’re looking at coming out with?

Amanda: We’re thrilled to be offering colors soon! We’ve had tons of moms request more variety of colors. We’re going to offer colors first in the Relaxed Bra, look for Rumina Red around December. Nude and Chocolate will be offered in the Classic Bra and Tank hopefully in early 2014. We’re going to keep colors coming! We anticipate every 3 months coming out with a new color to choose from. We also hope to continue to develop a Plus Size Hands-Free Pump&Nurse option.

3_Image_Crossover

Dawn and Amanda are giving away 2 prizes to 2 lucky Leakies!

Each prize will consist of:
ONE Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Crossover Bra
and
ONE Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tank of their choice.
Retail Value of $82.00.

Rumina_Giveaway_Image

Currently Leakies can find Rumina’s Pump&Nurse Collection at www.ruminaformoms.com.

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A CALL TO ACTION FOR ALL LEAKIES! Vote for the Relaxed Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Crossover Bra at the JPMA Parent’s Pick Award website and earn a chance to win a $100.00 gift card from Rumina and $100.00 gift card to your retailer of choice from JPMA! Simply go to http://jpma.org/content/parents/parents-pick-award click on Relaxed Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Crossover Bra, hit submit your vote and then copy and post the last page’s URL to Rumina’s highlighted Facebook post to be entered in the drawing. Only one vote per person and voting ends Oct. 10th at noon. Drawing will be held Oct. 11th for the Rumina winner and JPMA will contact their winner by Oct. 31. We appreciate your support and vote! Good Luck!!

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from October 4, 2013 through October 11, 2013.  A big thanks to Dawn and Amanda and Rumina Nursingwear for their 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.  You can also find them on Pinterest!

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Leaky Boob, responsibility, India, sex trafficking, hand sewing, and transforming communities

October 4, 2013 by 62 Comments

In the rural south east agricultural area of A.Konduru, Andhra Pradesh, India, a group of women came together and decided to change their community.  They started simply doing something they already knew they could do well, enlisted the help of a woman with experience starting and running a business, and launched an endeavor called a.ku designs.  Their goal?  Start a school for their children.  One that was in their community, that wouldn’t require sending their children away and would include English language instruction, the business language of India.  A school that could help stop the cycle of poverty their community has been steeped in for generations.  A school that could offer their sons options instead of being bonded to the brick factories.  A school that could step in the gap as a way of preventing the sex trafficking of their daughters into brothels in the cities of India.  This school was their dream.  Their hope.

With the average income at $2.00 a day, job creation would break the cycle of poverty and provide hope for the future.  For these low caste families, many live in a round mud hut with a thatched roof and a dirt floor. The caste system has been banned but people still practice it. This prejudice holds people back from reaching their social and economic potential.

The women created a 5 year business plan for a.ku designs and got to work sewing and selling.  Their product made it to the other side of the world and with it their desired goal to the ears and hearts of a few people.  And instead of 5 years it took just one.  The A. Konduru village school opened on June 10, 2013 for grades 1-3 with 50 students, 30 of which were on full sponsorships.

Ride for Refuge International Teams

When a group of determined mothers come together amazing things happen.

Every once in a while I have to awkwardly look at The Leaky Boob and ask “is this really what I want it to be?  Am I being responsible with what I’ve been entrusted with?  Can I do better?”

More often than not I’m unsettled by the answers to these questions.

It is an incredible honor and a privilege to be a part of any aspect of your life and your journey, even if for just a moment, one article, or one Facebook post.  There are times where this is overwhelming and I want to run away and shut it all down.  Not only is it time consuming, it can be completely intimidating and at times, exhausting.  I have been attacked, mocked, questioned, and have discovered a political side to all this I had never anticipated.  I’ve even been accused of distributing child porn (AKA breastfeeding images) and called a pedophile (for breastfeeding my daughter past 12 months).  Sometimes I really want to quit.  But The Leaky Boob is also deeply satisfying and when I step back from my own insecurities and headache I see something I believe in and love.  I even think it’s important.  There’s no way I could walk away.  No way.

But can I do better?  Oh yeah, much better and I am grateful to have wise counsel and good friends that have become a team advising me how to do so.  Am I being responsible with it?  To an extent, yes but not enough.

I believe The Leaky Boob can make a difference, in fact, I believe that in the 3 years since starting TLB, it has made a difference.  Never, in my wildest dreams, would I have imagined the impact the little blog I started would have in encouraging and supporting families starting out or in being a voice to normalize breastfeeding.  Now, even I can’t deny that is the case.  I have no idea why and I’m an unlikely candidate to be in this position yet here I am.  With you.

This isn’t about changes coming to TLB, though there are some on the horizon.  This is about something else close to my heart because while I love supporting breastfeeding moms and the people that support them, I’m also very passionate about making a difference in the world as a voice for the voiceless and I want to use the voice I have here to invite you to join me.  Outside of The Leaky Boob I work with an organization leading a global movement to bring artists together to speak up for the oppressed.  As part of that movement I share these stories and opportunities with you because I know first hand just how much influence a determined group of mothers can have.  As a mother I unite myself with these mothers because I know their heart and just as I’m deeply connected with the community of TLB because of breastfeeding, I’m connected to these women as their desires and determination resonate in my mother’s heart.

a.ku designs women at sewing machines

The mothers of A. Konduru inspire and humble me.  When two of my children were sexually assaulted I wanted to run away and hide with my children forever, getting through each day was overwhelming.  These women come together, risk it all, and make their world a better place in the face of oppression that would crush me.  They are my heroes.  They are not cowering, they are changing their world.

What does it look like?

Today with the help of supporting organizations, A. Konduru has a plan to transform their community even beyond the school.  This transformation will come from the community itself by intentionally working with government leaders, social workers and pastors in the community. Developing local business opportunities and education opportunities; bringing jobs to the community, lifting many from the oppression and poverty they live under daily. These efforts are enabling families to obtain proper food, receive needed health services and to live farther from the marginalized edge of hunger, sickness, slavery, and prostitution. a.ku designs will put back into the community using their profits for education in Grace School, taking a lead role and model community transformation.  Change will also come through community education in vocational, business and wellness training.

I have no doubt they will continue to succeed.

I want to be a part of it.

Do you?

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In January, 2014, The Piano Man, Earth Baby, Sugarbaby, and I are going to see first hand with a group of artists the transformation happening in A. Konduru.  With a group of artists we are going to celebrate the school, encourage the faculty, connect with the community, and gather stories to share.

To support these efforts and help raise awareness and funds to support these inspiring mothers on the other side of the world, I’m joining them as I can right now by getting on a bike and riding to raise funds and awareness, as I shared before.  Come join me outside of Chicago on October 5, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. with your bike (or stroller and walking shoes) at International Teams, 411 W River Road, Elgin, IL 60123 and ride with me then hang out for lunch after.  If you can’t join me you can ride where you are that same day and time, share this post with others, and/or contribute and help me reach my goal of raising $18,000 as part of the Initiative 31.8 Ride for Refuge team.  Go HERE to sponsor me in the ride.  All funds raised go to support the work of International Teams bringing people together to help the oppressed.

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 a.ku designs model

a.ku designs brown bag

a.ku designs two bags

a.ku designs green and black floral bag

To help me reach my goal of raising $18,000 with the Initiative 31.8 Ride for Refuge team (and hopefully surpass it), The Leaky Boob is giving away 3 a.ku designs bags.  (Please note, items are handmade, each unique and imperfect.  The bags pictured in this post are just a representation of the work, the bag each winner receive will be unique.)  Use the widget below to be entered and hurry, this giveaway ends the night of Monday, October 8th.  Sorry, at this time, entries only available to those within the USA and Canada.

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Filed Under: Article, Featured, giveaway, Jessica, motherhood Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Fairhaven Health Fertility Giveaway

August 14, 2013 by 31 Comments

It is no surprise that most giveaways that we have here on The Leaky Boob are related to breastfeeding.  It is the subject around which this community has formed, after all.  But taking a step back, we have to face a screeching traffic-jamming reality: TLB wouldn’t exist if babies weren’t made.  I mean the stuff required for conception to happen.  It is a subject that merits its own support community, as fertility issues affect more couples than you or I can even imagine.  Fertility is the primary focus of TLB sponsor Fairhaven Health, and after a bit of dialogue, we decided together to offer some support and awareness about male fertility issues in the guise of a giveaway.  Suzanne offers some helpful information on the subject (below) and if you find yourself wanting to ask more questions about fertility for both men and women, that is Fairhaven Health‘s speciality!

Munson-Family

Suzanne and her family

TLB:  Why should we be concerned about male fertility? 

Suzanne:   As a company that is focused on providing natural products to support fertility, pregnancy and nursing, it isn’t a surprise that most of the products we offer at Fairhaven Health are intended to be used by women. But, when it comes to fertility, it is important to understand that for nearly half of all couples that are struggling with infertility, it is actually the male partner with the fertility issue. The statistics related to declining sperm health are quite alarming – the average sperm count among adult men has decreased by 50% since 1938, and continues to decline by at least 2% every year.  Chronic stress, prolonged exposure to dangerous environmental chemicals, and poor diets certainly take a toll on male reproductive health.  As a result, many men suffer from low sperm count (defined as less than 20 million sperm per ml of semen), low sperm motility (defined as less than 50% of sperm showing good forward movement), and/or abnormal sperm morphology (the size and shape of sperm).  And, poor sperm health can lead to couples having difficulty becoming pregnant.

If a couple has been actively trying to conceive for 6 months or more with no success, we always recommend that the male partner make an appointment to have a semen analysis done. Or, as an alternative, we offer a sperm count test that can be used at home – if he is hesitant about going to the doctor for a comprehensive semen analysis. And, even if it is discovered that his sperm health is less than optimal, the good news is that there is sound research in the area of male fertility that shows that supplementation with key nutrients can promote sperm health. That’s why we have developed a line of male fertility products!

TLB: Let’s talk about the lifestyle factors that impact sperm health. For instance, is it true that biking and hot tubs cause low sperm count?

Suzanne: Yes, in theory, any activity that increases the temperature of the male reproductive organs can reduce sperm count, at least temporarily. If a man knows he has low sperm count, and if he and his partner are trying to conceive, it is probably best that he avoid competitive bike racing (involving lots of time on a bicycle), saunas, hot tubbing, and/or using a lap top computer directly on his lap. But, the reality is that other lifestyle factors probably have a bigger impact on the quantity and quality of sperm. Smoking cigarettes, using chewing tobacco, drinking large amounts of alcohol, and exercising excessively all decrease the quantity and quality of sperm. Quitting, or simply cutting back on, any of these activities will help improve sperm health.

Exposure to environmental toxins is also implicated as a cause for declining male (and female) reproductive health.  By limiting exposure to toxins in the workplace, at home, and from foods, men can help reduce the impact that these chemicals have on reproductive health.  And, supporting the body’s own detoxification systems (with specific nutrients and herbal medicines, like those found in FertileDetox) can help the body efficiently eliminate and/or metabolize toxins.

Force

TLB: When you say “toxins,” I think antioxidants.  Can they play a part in improving sperm health?  

Yes!  It certainly looks that way.  For many decades, theories about how to prevent chronic diseases of all types have emphasized the importance of antioxidant nutrients in combating the damaging effects of free radicals. Simply put, free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that are produced as the body breaks down toxins. These unstable oxygen molecules move around the body seeking to participate in biochemical reactions that make them more stable, which result in damage to fats and proteins that are found in the cells of our body, ultimately interfering with normal cellular function. The body utilizes a number of antioxidant strategies to neutralize free radicals, but if the free radical load exceeds the number of antioxidants available to the cell, a condition known as oxidative stress ensues.  As it turns out, sperm cells seem more susceptible to oxidative stress because they have less effective antioxidant mechanisms for neutralizing free radicals than other types of cells. Adding insult to injury, sperm cells are especially vulnerable to damage from free radicals due to the high amounts of fats contained in their cell membrane. As a result, oxidative stress takes a heavy toll on sperm, causing reduced sperm count, poor sperm motility and even DNA damage.  Experts are now saying that oxidative stress is to blame for the majority (up to 80%) of all cases of male infertility.

Supplementing with antioxidant nutrients can help reduce oxidative stress. Several antioxidants have been shown to especially helpful for sperm health, including Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Coenzyme Q10 and the polyphenolic compounds in grape seed extract. All of these nutrients are found in our best-selling product for men, FertilAid for Men.

TLB: What other nutrients and herbal products are helpful for male reproductive health? 

Suzanne: There is a handful of ingredients that have shown great promise in improving male reproductive health. Leading the charge are L-carnitine and zinc. Carnitine is a vitamin-like compound that helps to transport fatty acids into the energy powerhouse of the cell (called the mitochondria) where they can be “burned” for energy. Carnitine supplementation is useful for men with low sperm motility because it helps the sperm cells produce energy, increasing the ability of sperm to move quickly through the female reproductive tract. Research indicates that low zinc concentrations negatively affect serum testosterone levels and that infertile males tend to have lower concentration of seminal plasma zinc. And, supplementation with zinc increases sperm count, motility, and fertilizing capacity; and reduces the incidence of anti-sperm antibodies.  Vitamin B12 supplementation has been shown to increase sperm count and selenium supplementation is helpful for sperm motility.

The herbs Maca and Mucuna pruriens are often talked about related to male fertility. Maca is a traditional herb that has been used medicinally for years to enhance fertility and libido. Numerous studies have shown that supplementation with maca improves sperm count, as well as sperm motility, semen volume, and overall sperm quality. Mucuna pruriens is a tropical plant, commonly known as velvet bean and cowitch. The plant has many traditional uses, and is still considered to be an effective aphrodisiac. Research indicates that Mucuna pruriens increases sperm count and sperm motility.

TLB: Wow, that’s a lot of information.  Thank you for taking the time to educate our readers about this important subject.  People need to know that this kind of information and support is readily available. 

FertilAidMen

 

Fairhaven Health is giving away a collection of 5 Male Fertility Products to 5 lucky winners.

FertilAid for Men: A dietary supplement designed to enhance male fertility and improve overall reproductive wellness as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
FAM

CountBoost for Men: A dietary supplement designed to support optimal sperm count.
Countboost

MotilityBoost for Men: A dietary supplement designed to support optimal sperm motility.
MotilityBoost

FertileDetox: A dietary supplement designed to support the body’s detoxification systems.
FertileDetox

Virilitea: A loose-leaf, herbal tea designed to promote male fertility and sexual vitality.
virilitea

 

Leakies can find these and other fertility, pregnancy and nursing products at www.FairhavenHealth.com

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from August 14, 2013 through August 21, 2013.  A big thanks to everyone at Fairhaven Health 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 Fairhaven Health on Pinterest!

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents. 

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Mother of All Giveaways Boob Giveaway for WBW 2013!

August 1, 2013 by 1,439 Comments

Welcome to The Ultimate World Breastfeeding Week
Giveaway, co-hosted by The Leaky Boob, San
Diego Breastfeeding Center , and The Boob Group.  This year’s
World Breastfeeding Week theme is Mother to Mother Support, which is what
we are all about!

World Breastfeeding Week is a time to celebrate breastfeeding mothers
around the world, as well as recognize the barriers that these same
mothers face as they strive to meet their personal breastfeeding goals.
Breastfeeding, as all things having to do with parenting a child,
requires a supportive network that guides, provides helpful advice, and
elevates a mother’s self-esteem.  Mother to mother support, in
addition to community support and education, are crucial to a mother’s
personal breastfeeding success.

To celebrate World Breastfeeding Week 2013, over 40
breastfeeding-supportive companies have donated items for 2 enormous
Breastfeeding Mom Prize Packages, each valued at over $600!  First,
we’d like to introduce you to the co-hosts of the Ultimate World
Breastfeeding Week giveaway.  Then, we’ll share all of the goodies
that have been so graciously donated.

 

Meet Your
Hosts 

The Leaky
Boob: The Leaky Boob was created and is managed by Jessica
Martin-Weber with her husband Jeremy Martin-Weber along with some
volunteer moderator admins on the Facebook page. This website and its
Facebook page exists to unite breastfeeding mothers and those that support
them through laughter and tears of joy and share our experiences and
informational resource.  Created in April, 2010, TLB is intended to
be a breastfeeding “pub” that aims provide a safe space to
find breastfeeding support, information, and community in order to help
breastfeeding mothers reach their breastfeeding goals and to encourage
those that support breastfeeding.

 

San Diego Breastfeeding
Center:  The San Diego Breastfeeding Center is a
judgment-free online and in-person resource for qualified breastfeeding
information and personalized assistance for mothers facing breastfeeding
challenges.  Founded by Robin Kaplan, M.Ed., IBCLC in 2009, SDBFC
offers private breastfeeding consultations, classes, free support groups,
and an extensive blog. In March 2013, SDBFC launched the San Diego Nursing
in Public Task Force to educate the San Diego community about the laws
that protect a mother’s right to breastfeed in public and to provide
support and guidance to mothers who have faced harassment for
breastfeeding in public.

 

The Boob
Group: The Boob Group is a weekly podcast offering moms
judgment-free breastfeeding support.  Hosted by Robin Kaplan, M.Ed,
IBCLC, each episode features a breastfeeding expert and a panel of
breastfeeding mothers, openly discussing breastfeeding successes,
struggles, and everything in between.  The show helps guide mothers
by providing an honest, natural, and relaxed approach to
breastfeeding.

 

Here are the
Prizes!

How to Enter the Ultimate World Breastfeeding Week giveaway:

You may enter the giveaway from August 1, 2013 – August 7, 2013.
On August 8, 2013, we will announce 1 lucky winner of the Breastfeeding
Mom Prize Package #1 and 1 lucky winner of the Breastfeeding Mom Prize
Package #2.

 

Breastfeeding Mom Prize Package
#1

WBW 2013 Master List 1

 

One Hygeia Enjoye Pump: A
hospital-grade performance double breast pump that is designed for
long-term and frequent pumping needs.

One carrier and accessories from Beco Baby Carrier: One Soleil
Baby Carrier (Stella), one Soleil Accessory Pack (Stella), and a Carry-All
Bag (Stella).

One Weelee™ car seat travel bag by Clek: A universal travel bag designed
to protect your car seat from damage while traveling — two rugged wheels,
a telescoping handle, luggage ID tag, thick layers of padding for optimal
protection, plus a little extra room to stow extra vacation
essentials.

One $100 eGift Card from Zutano:
Good for everything from Baby Clothes to Bedding, Toys to Tableware, where
Whimsy and Fashion meet online!

One Pump&Nurse Tank and New Relaxed Fit Crossover Bra from Rumina Nursingwear

Two general admission tickets to any MommyCon in 2013:
Philadelphia, Kansas City, Portland, or Los Angeles.

One $30 gift certificate to Undercover Mama: Undercover Mama
keeps your back, sides, & belly covered while you nurse! Perfect for
pregnancy, breastfeeding & beyond!

One Pumpin’ Pal Pumpin’ Comfort
Kit: Includes one pair of all three sizes of Super Shields, The Original
Hands-Free Strap, and the Air-Dry parts bag.

One $50 gift certificate to A
Mother’s Boutique:  A Mother’s Boutique offers everything a new
mother or mother to be needs in one convenient location – From maternity
clothing to breastfeeding gear, nursing bras, breastpumps and slings, we
have something for every mom.

One Naked nursing tank: The
North American made Bamboo Naked Nursing Tank is a midsection cover-up for
pregnant and breastfeeding Moms – Transforms EVERY shirt into a nursing
shirt, just throw it on underneath your regular wardrobe!

One Arden bra by The Dairy
Fairy: The only nursing bra that multitasks as much as you do – nurse,
hands free pump, and adjust the fit, all while looking and feeling
beautiful.

Four cloth diapers from Lovely Pocket Diapers: Save
thousands and diaper your baby from birth to potty trained for as little
as $140 with Lovely Pocket Diapers one size reusable cloth diapers!

One KangarooCare
breastfeeding and babywearing necklace for mom and baby.

One trio of salves from Motherlove
Herbal Company: Enjoy a set of Green Salve (for itches and rashes),
Diaper Rash & Thrush Salve, and Nipple Cream.

A collection of essentials for nursing moms from Fairhaven Health: Enjoy our
Nursing Blend, Nursing Time Tea, and Nipple Nurture Balm!

One PumpEase and ‘Through a Child’s Eyes Keepsake Colouring
Boob from Snugabell Mom & Baby
Gear: Fashionable hands-free pumping bra… because women like
pretty things, EVEN when they’re pumping!

One Milkies Milk Saver:
Created for breastfeeding mothers to collect milk at any time from
the non-breastfeeding side.

One Milkies Freeze: Created to
hold your own bags of milk collected in the order that they are placed,
making it easier to use the older milk first and so forth.

One My Baby’s Heartbeat Bear Giraffe kit: Includes a 16″ stuffed
giraffe and special red heart recordable sound module to record your
baby’s heartbeat.

 

Breastfeeding Mom Prize Package
#2

WBW 2013 Master List 2

 

One carrier and drooling pads from Beco Baby Carrier: One Gemini
Baby Carrier (Micah) and set of Drooling Pads (Natural).

One Organic Collection Baby Carrier from Ergobaby:
Made from 100% Oeko-Tex certified Organic cotton, the Ergobaby Organic
Carrier blends eco-consciousness with the utmost attention to quality and
safety.

One $100 eGift Card from Zutano:
Good for everything from Baby Clothes to Bedding, Toys to Tableware, where
Whimsy and Fashion meet online!

One Naked nursing tank: The
North American made Bamboo Naked Nursing Tank is a midsection cover-up for
pregnant and breastfeeding Moms – Transforms EVERY shirt into a nursing
shirt, just throw it on underneath your regular wardrobe!

One breastfeeding scarf from Snoob – A stylish, versatile
breastfeeding scarf that offers discreet cover when breastfeeding in
public.

One $30 gift certificate to Undercover Mama: Undercover Mama
keeps your back, sides, & belly covered while you nurse! Perfect for
pregnancy, breastfeeding & beyond!

One nursing tank and hands-free pumping accessory kit from Glamourmom.

One Rocky Road Maternity/Nursing bra and brief set from Cake Lingerie: Cake Lingerie
designs and manufactures luxurious Maternity/Nursing Lingerie, to make
women look and feel beautiful during this extraordinary period in our
lives.

One Pump&Nurse Tank and New Relaxed Fit Crossover Bra from Rumina Nursingwear

Two ultra absorbent pocket diapers from Thirsties.

One Deluxe Baby Gift Basket from Episencial: Enjoy the moment with
Babytime! By Episencial favorites that will soothe and care for your
baby’s skin.

One order of Matraea
Mama’s Milk Tea: Matraea Mama’s Milk Tea is a flavourful
tea used to increase milk production when your supply is low and also may
promote easier digestion in your baby.

One combo pack from Bamboobies: Bamboobies nursing
pads are made of bamboo, organic cotton and hemp which make these
reusable breast pads incredibly absorbent and unbelievably soft.

One shirt from Mama Pear
Designs: One of MamaPear Designs best-selling shirts! Simple graphics
spread a positive message of “Peace. Love. Breastfeeding”

One Virtual
Breastfeeding Culture: Seeking Mother to Mother Support in the Digital Age
book by Lara Audelo: a new book about the online support communities
that mothers have built for themselves; share the journeys of 30
breastfeeding mothers who narrate their own stories of finding valuable
support and life-changing friendships online.

One Second Skin Swaddle from Precious Image
Creations: Versatile and easy to use; designed for skin-to-skin
positioning of your new baby, while providing safety, temperature
regulation and discretion, and accommodating breastfeeding and
pumping.

One baby romper from One
Creative Mama: One Creative Mama helps to normalize breastfeeding by
creating humorous breastfeeding advocacy gear for moms and babies.

One set of colorful wooden nesting bowls from Little Spruce Organics:
This beautiful, durable set of wooden nesting bowls is made with safe,
water-based dyes and is perfect for babies and toddlers who are just
learning how to place objects inside of one another and stack.

One nursing necklace from Freja Toys, made from natural materials and full of
warmth and love.

 

Enter our
Giveaway! 

 

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Binky D Diapers Giveaway

July 31, 2013 by 260 Comments

Kerri and Ashley have been fans of The Leaky Boob for quite a while now, having found the support and encouragement here that are the primary reason for TLB’s existence.  They are now WAHM’s (Work At Home Mom) that love making hybrid fitted cloth diapers.  They call their business Binky D Diapers, and are interested in sharing their love of cloth diapering with our Leaky community, because let’s face it: breastfeeding isn’t the only aspect of caring for a baby, and we all need to consider what option is best for our baby when it comes to the natural bi-product that breastfeeding (and any other feeding) inevitably brings.  : )  Kerri and Ashley answer a few questions about cloth diapering and are offering a fun giveaway opportunity too!  

Ashley

TLB:  What inspired you to start Binky D Diapers?

Ashley:  I started cloth diapering my son and was looking for a overnight solution for my heavy wetter, I ended up realizing I was pretty decent at making them myself and found my niche.  Since I loved making them and people were interested in buying them I just dove right in to making Binky D Diapers.  It was meant to be.

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

Ashley:  Binky D Diapers are made with quality supplies.  We offer a few different styles of diapers so that you are able to find what works for your little one.  We offer day fitteds, Nigh D Night diapers that feature a double layer of fleece and Wind Pro overnight diapers for really heavy wetters.  We also will be introducing a Slim Fit line in the very near future.

TLB:  What would you tell someone who was considering whether or not to use cloth diapers?

Ashley:  Try to not overthink it.  There is tons of info on the web for cloth diapering and it can all be really overwhelming for those trying to make the switch.  I always suggest trying a couple of each style of diaper and just finding what works best for you and your little one.  Its really easy and not as complicated as it seems.

TLB:  Do you exclusively use cloth diapers on your own children?

Ashley:  When my son is home from childcare we exclusively use cloth diapers.  Unfortunately I have been unable to find a childcare facility in my area that would be supportive of our choice.  Hopefully as more and more families make the switch to a more natural way of diapering these facilities will become more accepting of it.

TLB:  What is your favorite breastfeeding tip?

Ashley:  In the early days of breastfeeding as hard as it is don’t doubt yourself or your body.  Just lay in bed and enjoy your newborn with as much skin to skin as possible.  You can do this.

_________________________

Binky D Diapers is giving away:
1 custom spot for a free FULLY CUSTOM diaper design
2 Hybrid Fitted Diapers (one per winner)
That means 3 lucky Leakies will end up with a fun-print cloth diaper from Binky D Diapers!

1 Fully Custom diaper design:  Winner will send Binky D Diapers info on the diaper design they choose.  You can send photos for inspiration along with theme info . The possibilities are endless.  See photos of past work below and on Binky D Diapers facebook page for inspiration (This excludes any HTF fabrics and Binky D Diapers is only able to honor request that are within their design capabilities ) Since this is not a premade item the turn around time will be 3 weeks after you submit your design.

 Hulk diapercloth diaperToy story diaper

2 Hybrid Fitted Diapers:  Winners will specify their preference of boy, girl, or neutral print, and Ashley and Kerri will choose the right diaper for you!  Here are a couple of examples of the kinds of diapers they make:

yellow submarine diaperhelicopter diaper

Currently Leakies can find Binky D Diapers Hybrid Fitteds and other items available on the Binky D Diapers Hyena Cart store and Facebook page.

_________________________

Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from July 31, 2-13 through August 6, 2013.  A big thanks to Ashley and Binky D Diapers for their 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 international entries.

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Peer Support and a history of World Breastfeeding Week- Celebrate WBW 2013

July 25, 2013 by 14 Comments
this post made possible by the generous sponsorship of Fairhaven Health.

Nations around the world continue to make progress in terms of normalizing and supporting breastfeeding, whether in public or in the privacy of a mother’s home. Last week, Guam senator Aline Yamashita introduced a bill to protect the right of women to breastfeed in public or private spaces. In fact, most U.S. states and territories have passed some sort of law regarding breastfeeding.

This is exactly what the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action had hoped for when they launched World Breastfeeding Week in 1992. Each year, World Breastfeeding Week celebrates women’s breastfeeding rights from August 1-7. The global campaign aims to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding, while raising public awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding. 

This year’s theme is all about breastfeeding peer support. Approximately 77 percent of moms begin breastfeeding after delivery, however only 47 percent of moms continue to breastfeed at six months old, and by 12 months old only 25 percent of moms breastfeed their infants. Community support after delivery is essential to successful and sustained breastfeeding. Traditionally, families provided this support but with the global community available via the world wide web, women can seek peer support from Internet communities including The Leaky Boob.

To celebrate World Breastfeeding Week 2013 and breastfeeding peer support The Leaky Boob is hosting The Ultimate World Breastfeeding Week giveaway along with The Boob Group, and the San Diego Breastfeeding Center. Two lucky winners, announced August 8, will each receive an enormous gift basket of breastfeeding support products including teas, nipple salves, breast pads, baby carriers, and much, much more. Last year’s Ultimate World Breastfeeding Week giveaway had over 19,000 entries and the sponsors anticipate having even more this year!

In keeping with the theme of the week, Fairhaven Health plans to host contests and giveaways on their Belly to Breast Facebook page where Facebookers can enter to win natural breastfeeding support products like:

  • Nursing Blend: A doctor-designed breastfeeding supplement that offers optimal vitamin and mineral support for breastfeeding women, and helps increase milk production.
  • Nipple Nurture Balm: An organic, all-natural nipple balm designed to soothe, protect, and heal sore or cracked nipples.
  • Fenugreek: A concentrated, all-natural Fenugreek supplement designed to help increase breast milk production.
  • Nursing Time Tea: A natural nursing tea to help increase breast milk quality and quantity.
  • Nursing Postnatal: A comprehensive postnatal multivitamin designed to meet the unique nutritional needs to breastfeeding women.

World Breastfeeding Week also brings The Big Latch On, a global event where women and their children come together to breastfeed for one minute. The goal of the event is to break the record for the number of women breastfeeding simultaneously. Last year’s record to break: 8,862 women and their children. Valuing supporting breastfeeding mothers, Fairhaven Health is working with numerous local organizations to supply breastfeeding support products for Big Latch On events across the country and encouraging online events and interactions that raise awareness of breastfeeding around the world.

For a full list of this year’s events, visit worldbreastfeedingweek.org.

About World Breastfeeding Week

The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) was formed in 1991 to act on the Innocenti Declaration passed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The declaration recognizes that breastfeeding is a unique process that provides ideal nutrition to infants, contributes to healthy infant growth and development, reduces disease, contributes to women’s health, provides social and economic benefits, and provides women with a sense of satisfaction. World Breastfeeding Week, launched on August 1, 1992, is WABA’s main global campaign to support and promote breastfeeding, and commemorates the adoption of the Innocenti Declaration.

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Earth Mama Angel Baby Sudsy Giveaway

July 17, 2013 by 116 Comments

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.

_________________________

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

_________________________

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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The Vintage Honey Shop Giveaway

July 12, 2013 by 312 Comments

Jennifer and Melissa, the creative ladies of The Vintage Honey Shop, love to share beautiful things with the world, as you clearly notice when you visit their Shop.  So when they recently did a photoshoot of nursing moms outdoors on furniture you would expect to see in someone’s home, they were so pleased with the results that they wanted to share them too!  Jenifer and Melissa answered a few questions for us below, and we all hope that the following images and giveaway help brighten your day.

View More: http://christinacampbell.pass.us/vintaghoney

TLB:  The Vintage Honey Shop has such a charming, classic feel, as the name suggests.  What do you use for inspiration with your necklaces and other products?

Jennifer & Melissa:  We love vintage & modern designs!  We named our shop, The Vintage Honey Shop, because of our love of vintage designs, but also because we love the color yellow…that deep vintage honey yellow….thus our name was born!  We wanted to reflect our love of vintage & modern in our shop.  We didn’t even start out making nursing/teething necklaces.  They sort of found us!  We began making fabric beaded necklaces because frankly, they are really pretty!  After we started making them we found that they made great teething & nursing necklaces!  Unfortunately, our little ones were past the teething & nursing stage when we made these…but boy do we wish we would have made them when we were breastfeeding!!  Would have helped out SO much!!  Our shop has evolved into something awesome & great!  It is something that we are proud of & believe in!  But if you would have told us three years ago when we opened the shop that we would be rockin’ the teething & nursing world…we wouldn’t have believed you! 🙂  We have a love of fabric…we choose fabrics based on how it makes us ‘feel’!  If we see it & it makes us smile or jump up & down (yes, fabric sometimes makes Jennifer do that!)…then we buy it!  The same goes for our paper products…pretty paper just makes us happy!  When we are happy…then we hope that comes across in our products & designs

View More: http://christinacampbell.pass.us/vintaghoney

TLB:  I’ve heard that you recently had a fun photoshoot; did it really involve couches, fields and babies?  That sounds very unique. What was your favorite part of the photoshoot?

Jen & Mel:  Oh my goodness, that photoshoot was so much fun!  We had been planning this shoot for over six months.  We wanted to do a photoshoot that showcased our necklaces being used by real moms & their babies!  So we asked a few of our mom friends to see if they would be in our photoshoot, called our photographer to set up a date & time, and began planning the shoot!  We love that our necklaces are natural…we just natural, unfinished bead & rings in our necklaces…and we wanted to reflect that by having our photoshoot outdoors in a field.  Being a mom & breasfeeding your baby is very natural, so we wanted to take what we do naturally in our homes to the outdoors!  So we set up a bed, couch, rocking chair & vintage quilt outside in a beautiful field!

View More: http://christinacampbell.pass.us/vintaghoneyView More: http://christinacampbell.pass.us/vintaghoney
View More: http://christinacampbell.pass.us/vintaghoneyView More: http://christinacampbell.pass.us/vintaghoney

TLB:  Were there any particular challenges involved?

Jen & Mel:  A week before our photoshoot, the bed we had planned to use fell through.  We panicked!  The bed shot was super important to us so we searched all over craigslist & asked around to see if we could find the kind of bed we were looking for.  About 4 days before the shoot, Melissa found an old, nasty bed frame sitting outside of craft & furniture store.  It was in super bad shape…it was falling apart & it had bird poop all over it!  Gross, we know!  But it was the style we wanted & it was only $10!  So Melissa picked it up & we cleaned, added a wood decal to it & painted it a beautiful yellow color.  It look completely different…you would have no idea it was the same beaten up frame!  Then the day of the shoot, everything that could go wrong did!  It began to rain, we had babysitting issues & Melissa’s electricity went out so she could not do her hair for the shoot!  Everything ended up working out…the rain stopped & Melissa was able to get her hairdesser to fit her in to do her hair!  Once we arrived at our shoot location, everything came together beautifully!  Everything we had envisioned for our shoot had turned out even better than we planned!  The babies were hams, the moms looked stunning & all the babies took to the necklaces right away!  It was amazing!

TLB:  Could you tell us a bit about your photographer?

Jen & Mel:  We have the best photographer!  Christina Campbell of Eternal Treasures Photography in Murfreesboro, TN  was the photographer of this photoshoot & another one we had last year.  She was so patient with our moms & babes.  When we contacted her & told her what we wanted to do, she didn’t even bat an eye about us taking photographs of moms nursing their lil ones on a living room couch in the middle of a field!  She is such a sweetheart…we joke around that we need to keep having photoshoots just so that we can hang out with her!

TLB:  Is there anything else that you would like The Leaky Boob community to know about?

Jen & Mel:  We are both moms & wives first, then we are the owners & designers with The Vintage Honey Shop.  Jennifer has three boys ages 10, 5 & 3.  She has been married to her highschool sweetheart for almost 16 years! Jennifer does the sewing, ordering fabric, manages the majority of our social media & makes the necklaces and bracelets.  Melissa is mom to her daughter, 9, and son, 6.  She too married her highschool sweetheart over 17 years ago!  On the weekends she is a critical care nurse that specializes in cardiac care.  Melissa is our paper girl!  She makes all of our cupcake toppers & paper rosette balls.  While Melissa rocks the paper part of our shop, she also helps in handmaking our necklaces too!  Melissa is the one responsible for shipping & hand wrapping all of our orders!

We really love what we do.  We love it that we make products that help moms feel beautiful & that help with their teething & nursing babies.  We are proud of our shop & we strive for excellence in all that we do!  We hope that this is reflected in our products & shop!

 

View More: http://christinacampbell.pass.us/vintaghoneyView More: http://christinacampbell.pass.us/vintaghoney

 

Jennifer & Melissa are giving away one teething ring necklace to 3  lucky Leakies (winner’s choice).
Retail Value: $25.00

 

View More: http://christinacampbell.pass.us/vintaghoney

Currently Leakies can find these and other nursing/teething necklaces in The Vintage Honey Shop website.
Additionally, Jennifer and Melissa are offering you a 15% discount for their store from now through July 25!  Use coupon code tlb15

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from July 12, 2013 through July 18, 2013.  A big thanks to Melissa and Jennifer and The Vintage Honey Shop 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 them on Instagram and Pinterest!

This giveaway is open to international entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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