My Breastfeeding Adventure Part 3 Tandem Breastfeeding

March of 2008 I went back to work after my bonding time with my new baby. Sonny was 13 months old. In April 2008 hubs went back to Texas to have a little fun with his buddies in his band from when he was younger and I went camping with the kids and one of my girls friends and her family. When I got home I was beat, my Mom was in town and offered to take me out to lunch. The food looked good but the smell was making me sick. I thought to my self I know a had a couple beers over the weekend but not anything close to making me sick. Just for fun I took a pregnancy test. I took a positive pregnancy test. I sat down on my bed and cried. I had a baby. I was still breast feeding and co-sleeping. I called my husband and we were both overwhelmed. I was due in December 2008.

I felt really guilty that Sonny wasn't going to get to be the baby. He was my baby. I was in love and I harbored a thought that I was cheating on him by getting pregnant with another baby. My pregnancy was bigger than life. I was sick 24/7 from the moment I found out, he was a high risk and I was getting ultrasounds pretty regular to make sure his condition wasn't causing more issues. Sonny was learning to walk, run, discover seeing things at a new level and exploring everything with his mouth. During my pregnancy he split his chin open twice, his head once, and got a hold of a pill and was kept over night in the hospital. (Cool part of hospitals while breastfeeding is Mama can stay over night and be fed)

In December Declan was born a healthy baby boy. My daughter Marysa was in the delivery room as well as my husband and friend Christina. I was handed my baby while he was still attached to the umbilical cord. I got to experience the natural first bonding of my tiny little guy who crawled his way to my breast. They were full since I was still nursing Sonny. The poor little guy gagged on his first taste.  Later I was advised by the lactation consultant that sometimes the let down will make that happen. Declan however caught on quick.

I was in the hospital over night with my perfect little man. I worried about Sonny and asked to be released home as soon as possible. I don't think I was there even a full 24 hours. I was told it's important for Dad to carry the baby in so your older baby can be loved on by Mama. Sonny could care less I was home. He wanted the car seat he had been playing in for the last few weeks. Hubs set the baby and car seat on the floor, Sonny attempted to sit on the baby. This was going to be fun. Sonny was 21 months old and a big brother.

When Declan needed to eat at first I'd take him in my bedroom for that one on one and I wasn't sure how Sonny would react. Soon Sonny found us  and was right with us sitting next to me and his new baby. Sonny who had been in his crib the last few months of my pregnancy was back in my bed. I should have stayed strong and kept him there. We ended up putting a twin bed along side our bed so everyone would fit. This unfortunately opened our bed up to a litter of kids sleeping with us and me never sleeping because I was making sure no one slept too close to my new baby. Declan eventually moved in to Sonny's crib and Sonny in the bed next to ours. This worked out pretty good while I was nursing both boys.

I often would nurse Sonny first since he would loose interest quickly and then Declan would nurse. This way the let down was over and he could be fed without any problem. The most surprising part for me was Sonny wasn't jealous of his brother and he never tried to push Declan away. I can't say never nursed both boys at the same time. I had seen ways to do it in books however I placed them my own way trying to prevent kicking and all the sweet movements a baby does from bothering my other baby. My biggest issue tandem nursing was the opinions I got from everyone including my loving husband. It was difficult but it was I believe a personal choice between me and my child. I got very little support. Actually no support at all except the high five from the MAs and nurses at our Well baby doctor appointments.

I was able to nurse the boys until Declan was almost two and just after Sonny turned three. A few surprises while I was nursing two different aged babies.

• Sonny got seedy newborn poop and stopped eating solids for the first week that we brought Declan home.
• I never thought I'd give my own baby a bottle and I started Sonny on one after he was 21 months old so I wasn't nursing all the time. This was a mistake I recommend to no one. Sonny ended up with cavities and a root canal at three years old.
• The boys weaned close together.
• Not a soul supported my choice.
• I ended up loving both boys with out that cheating fear I had while pregnant.

For me it was the right thing to do in my heart. My advice to any Mama in this position is follow your instinct and do what's right for you and your baby. Breast feeding one of multiple babies is a personal choice. If you need  a friend in your corner I'm only a click away. Happy Breastfeeding!

My Breastfeeding Adventure Part 2 NICU

                                  

This is a picture of my second born child minutes after his birth and before he was taken away to live his first week of life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Kaiser Walnut Creek. Sonny was born at thirty-five weeks gestation.  I'm sure this happens with all pregnant women, the doctors advise you take note of how often your baby moves in two hours. Well my baby stopped moving. I was monitored twelve hours and after talking to my doctor we decided it would be in Sonny's best interest to induce.

Sonny was born bright blue and not breathing. They handed him off to me long enough to to take the photo above before rushing him off to the NICU. My husband recorded his first weak cry on his cell phone an hour after his birth. I was finally reunited with him several hours later when Warren expressed to the doctor we were missing out on valuable bonding time. I was examined and shown  the way to see my baby. I didn't leave him longer than to let the nurses change shifts. At first he was feed nothing but liquid through an IV. I was given a pump. I feed my baby the colostrum drops with an eyedropper at first. I wasn't getting much of anything and had my husband bring my pump from home. The lactation nurse gave me to new tubing and cups. The first day or so I produced maybe 4 ounces. I was getting stressed out and the nurse offered my baby a bottle of formula. Once he was taken off the breathing tubes it was my turn.

Every time before I nursed Sonny I changed his diaper and had it weighed. I took his temp and then I had my chair positioned just so if he moved the alarms from his monitors wouldn't go off. Sonny lost over a pound his first week. However we knew he was getting milk since his diaper weight was increasing even after the IV came out. The next time they had me pump was before they put him in the light box for his jaundis. I pumped more into Sonny's bottle than he could eat. At the end of day five in the NICU we got to go home. I kept Sonny in the bassinet next to my bed. I woke every 45 minutes to feed him. When he got a little bigger he came into our bed.

I was very lucky with Sonny. The laws changed since I had his sister six years earlier. I was given time off to bond with my baby. I stayed home and nursed on demand.  It wasn't until after Sonny's first birthday I went back to work. The laws protecting nursing mother's got much better. I was provided a room with a lock to use my pump in. I could go over my break and lunch up to fifteen minutes in order to relax and pump paid. Sonny's daycare was close to work and I would go to his school on my lunch and nurse him into his nap.

This was great. Then I found out I was pregnant again a month after returning to work. The pregnancy made me very sick and I was home a lot with Sonny nursing away. Sonny never took a bottle during this time. Only sippy cups of breast milk or Mama. I wouldn't have traded this bonding with my baby for anything.

To be continued .....



Breastfeeding & Pregnant

People are baffled. "You're still nursing?" Yep, I am. While pregnant. Why? Because my son wasn't ready to wean and I wasn't ready either. I won't say it's been easy because sometimes it isn't. But that hasn't made me stop yet.

Nursing poolside at 6 months.

When we first found out we were expecting again, we were shocked. It was a huge surprise. Of course we were also incredibly excited as well but it wasn't planned and Logan was only 11 months old when I got pregnant again and was still nursing 4-5 times during the day and at night before bed. So I'll admit my first concern was how pregnancy would impact breastfeeding. I'd done enough research to know there was a very good chance my milk supply would drop. And at around 3 months it did. Drastically. Up until then, I'd had an abundant supply. Over-abundant actually. I spent the first 6 months of Logan's life dealing with engorgement and leaking. I stopped pumping completely when he was 3 months old because I wanted less milk. So when my supply all but disappeared I kicked myself for not keeping up with pumping and having a back-up supply. My supply went from plentiful to almost nada practically overnight. Logan became fussy and frustrated when he would latch and get nothing but a few drops. We started supplementing with soy milk since I just wasn't making enough. I tried every pregnancy-safe remedy. I tried pumping. Nothing worked. So I was just as frustrated as Logan. I felt awful. He wanted to nurse and I had nothing to give him. Luckily my boy is persistent and kept on trying anyway. He eventually stopped fussing when very little came out, content to just comfort nurse. He was handling it better than I was. Apparently it helped. At around 6 months my supply increased. Not a lot, but enough that he can now nurse about twice a day and seem satisfied. During those 3 months when my supply was gone, while Logan continued to comfort nurse, he only effectively nursed maybe once every other day or so. He cut out nursing before bed. If he was thirsty, he would request his cup before his "nummies." I missed the connection breastfeeding gave us and I'm so glad to have it back.

Satisfying his thirst at an outdoor festival.

Breastfeeding while pregnant does come with some pitfalls though. My breasts are sore and swollen from pregnancy and nursing is sometimes painful. Not to mention Logan needs to re-learn how to latch properly after his time off. He got used to a straw and now tries to treat my nipple like a straw. It hurts a little, but we're working on it and he's gotten better. There's also the issue of positioning. At almost 8 months pregnant, the only way for me to be comfortable while nursing is to sit up and prop Logan up beside me. He wants to curl up in my lap or nurse side-lying like he used to and that's not comfortable for either of us. So he's a lot more squirmy that normal and keeps trying to climb up onto my belly and I have to keep patiently pushing him off. Nursing also occasionally seems to bring on Braxton-Hicks contractions lately. Not comfortable. Sometimes I have to unlatch him and take a break. He gets confused and doesn't understand why and I feel just awful about it. So, no, it hasn't always been easy. But it has been rewarding and I wouldn't change it for the world. There's nothing as beautiful to me as having my baby snuggled up close sharing something special that only I can offer him. Logan is 19 months old now and shows no signs of wanting to wean, so pretty soon I'll be entering the world of tandem nursing and facing a whole new set of challenges. And to that I say, "Bring it on."
                                                        

I was 24 and knew NOTHING! My Breast feeding adventure Part 1

I got married very young and was pregnant with my first baby at 24. I had a lot of question since none of my friends had babies. My sisters had babies but both are quiet a bit older than I and had very different views. I went to every class my doctor offered up. One of the classes was breast feeding. There were possibly fifty pregnant women in the class all practicing holding plastic babies to our breasts. Everything was a blur at the end of class.

I called my Mom and asked her what she did about breast feeding. Her answer was poor people breast feed when she was having babies, no one talked about it and when she gave birth to my oldest brother he was taken away to the nursery to allow her time to recover.When her milk came in it sprayed everywhere and agreed to have her chest bound to stop milk production. She told me I was the only one whom she breast feed and it was only for six weeks because she was in the hospital for three week after she had me. Her doctor told her I was over weight and to put me on low fat cows milk.

So here I am 24 freaking out. Everyone told me something different, nothing was clear and I was going to have a baby. Instead of preparing myself for the baby I prepared my self for the idea of my baby. I bought the crib, made the bedding, had multiple baby showers, washed all the cloths put them away and shopped for big pants for after I gave birth. Not once did I think about feeding this child.

When Marysa finally came I had back labor for two weeks, was eleven days overdue, was in active labor 10 hours before I agreed to an epidural, slept 11 hours to be woke up and told it was time to push. I pushed for three hours and thirty six minutes. When my daughter was born I was tired and sore. The nurse put my daughter on my chest and I asked her to take her away. It was awful. I had no idea about how I missed that bonding moment.

They quickly moved me into a recovery room where I was asked if I took the breast feeding class, handed my baby and was expected to know what to do. There was a dry erase board on the wall where I was expected to record what side I nursed on and for how long. Marysa, my baby didn't know what to do either. She kept clamping on to the end of my nipple and leaving sores. She screamed the entire first night. Every time she would finally fall asleep a nurse would come in flick on the fluorescent lights and tell me to nurse. I have to be honest with you I almost gave up and gave her a bottle. I did give up and gave her a pacifier.

In the morning a woman came in to my room to examine me and Marysa. A lactation nurse. She was  a God send. She told me my breast were to large and my baby's head was to small for her to latch on correctly. That if I laid on my side with my baby on her side and if cupped my breast with my hand to make it smaller moving my daughters nose to my nipple almost teasing her she would open her mouth wide. She did. She latched on correctly. I was able to nurse.

My pediatrician advised I should nurse for the first year. Marysa liked nursing we went almost until her third birthday. I had bribed her with Disneyland to stop after numerous times failing. Over all I think she was ready. Marysa is now 10. She has hardly ever been sick and is at the top of her class. I think there is something to be said about increased immunities and brain development.

This is me at 25 and Marysa at 5 months.

I went back to work when Marysa was nine weeks old. While I was at work I pumped in a bathroom standing in front of the mirror while women came in an out making all sorts of uncomfortable small talk. There were no breast feeding laws to protect me back then. I pumped during my 15 minute break and lunch. I produced enough for her at daycare. The best advice I was given by the consultant was My baby will not go hungry. I never suplamented formula for Marysa and she was a fat happy little girl.

Breastfeeding: A Year In Review

As a breastfeeding mother who has had a breast reduction I had a challenging road. Despite the setback of a reduction, I was able to exclusively breastfeed my son for six months and am still breastfeeding him now at one year. Perhaps my story can give some hope to other moms hoping to breastfeed after a reduction. Part I: Pregnancy A year ago I was very, very pregnant. We were eagerly awaiting the arrival of our little monkey – wondering if he was a boy or a girl and wondering which of the names we liked would suit him. My feet were massively swollen. I was drinking a LOT of chocolate milk. I was also agonizing over whether or not I’d be able to breastfeed my baby. I wanted to, very much. My mom breastfed me and my three siblings. Jb’s mom breastfed her and her four brothers. I strongly believe that breastmilk is the best choice for babies and mom – and we didn’t have a lot of room in our budget for the added expense of formula. But I had a breast reduction about a decade ago and there was no way to know what kind of success I’d have nursing my baby. I researched breastfeeding after a reduction extensively (BFAR.org is a great place to start) and found there are a range of experiences out there – enough to give me hope, but no guarantees. There are so many variables: the type of surgery, your age, how much time has passed, your body’s capacity for healing (recanalization and reinnervation). There were suggestions and strategies for boosting supply once the baby arrived , but while pregnant all I could do was wait and see.

I thought about it everyday. I had dreams almost every night about breastfeeding – or nightmares about not being able to. I was prepared for a wide possibility of scenarios from not getting a single drop to being able to feed my baby without supplementation - but knew that most likely I’d only be able to produce a small amount of milk and would likely need to supplement with formula. I researched galactagogues and nursing supplementers like the Medela SNS and Lact-Aid. I braced myself for the worst, hoped for the best, read everything I could get my hands on and waited. Pt. II: The Early Weeks Once my perfect little baby joined us earthside we had our first nursing session within an hour of his birth. I didn’t know if my body would produce, but I was ready to give it my best shot. Despite the reduction, I was set up for success in every way: I was full of information. My doula training and reading requirements had laid a good foundation of information on breastfeeding and upon becoming pregnant I upped my information consumption considerably. I had an incredible support system: I worked in a community of doulas, midwives, and IBCLCs. I had family who had breastfed and friends who were currently nursing babies or toddlers. The Midwife Center (where Leo was born) and the pediatrician we chose were very pro-breastfeeding and non-alarmist. I had an awesome natural birth and enjoyed skin to skin time with Leo right after his birth. My partner was completely on board for breastfeeding our baby. She supported me 100% and picked up a lot of the other work so that I could focus on nursing. I was enrolled in WIC which sent a Lactation Consultant to my home twice a week for those first weeks and also loaned me a hospital grade pump at no charge. (This would have been completely unaffordable for our family without WIC.)

I was so hopeful as I put him to the breast for the first time and visualized him getting all the nourishment he needed. Within three hours I had my first blister. The weeks that followed are a blur – but I remember them being really, really hard. My poor nipples were torn apart, I was sleep deprived, I screamed into a pillow every time he latched, the first few times I tried to nurse in public I had a small panic attack, it seemed like he wanted to nurse every minute of every day, and his weight gain was slow. For someone who was educated about breastfeeding and had so many resources available to me, I couldn’t believe how vulnerable I still was to worry and doubt. I worried I wasn’t making enough milk, I worried if I pumped rather than nursed I’d interfere with establishing whatever supply I was capable of, I worried that my lean and long little baby was hungry… There was plenty to worry about. I cried. Oh, how I cried. The hormones coursing through my system certainly weren’t on my side. Three a.m. through sunrise was the hardest time, when I would open the cabinet and stare at those cans of formula that the formula company had delivered to my door the week of my due date. Without all the support I had around me I certainly would have given up. At around the one month mark things started to change. I began using a nipple shield (despite my concerns about nipple confusion) which let my nipples heal, I got a prescription for All Purpose Nipple Ointment, Leo’s latch improved, his weight was catching up and I had a couple successful nursing sessions in a public setting. It wasn’t quite smooth sailing, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

Pt. III: Happily Ever After By two months we were off the nipple shield completely and nursing was no longer something I dreaded. The sleepless nights, worry, pain, and doubt were fading. I mean, we still had a baby so there was still sleeplessness, worry and doubt – but it wasn’t due to breastfeeding anymore. I was free to focus all my nervous mama energy elsewhere. Things got better and better and soon I was realizing how nice it was that I didn’t have to think about packing bottles and formula each time we left the house and that I barely had to wake up for those night time feedings – since we co-sleep I just had to roll over to nurse him back to sleep. As things fell into place and Leo and I developed a happy and easy nursing relationship I made sure to do several things: Thank everyone in my pediatrician’s office and at the midwife center. They really empowered me to keep at it when my supply was working so hard to establish itself. There is a world of difference between hearing “Well, your baby is not gaining as quickly as we’d like to see, but let’s have him come in for regular weigh-ins and see how he progresses. I wouldn’t worry, though, look how energetic he is and how bright his eyes are.” versus “Your baby has not gained enough weight. It looks like you aren’t making enough milk, have you considered supplementing?” Write a letter to WIC thanking them for offering breastfeeding support through their program. I know that without the lactation consultant who came to my home and was knowledgeable and encouraging I would have thrown in the towel. One morning in particular – she single-handedly brought me back from the edge. Nurse in public. Leo has nursed in restaurants, rest stops, parks, museums, stores and concerts. I remember how inept and self conscious I felt that first time I attempted to feed him out of the house. I went home and googled images of women nursing in public – "do they pull their shirts up or down?" Now that I’ve figured out what works for us, I use it – and hope some new mama is encouraged. Leo turns one in a few short days. For the first six months of his life he was exclusively breastfed. He is now developing a love for solid foods, but is still nursing regularly. I’m so grateful I have been able to nurse him for a whole year and don’t see an immediate end in sight for our nursing relationship. It has been such a joy. From the newborn snorty rooting, to the feeling of his little hand rubbing my arm, to seeing his eyes rolling back in his head when he latches on, to his current acrobatics (last night he was nursing while standing on one foot and somehow running the toes of his other foot through my hair…) – it has been such a special part of my life and I’m so glad I stuck it out during those tough early weeks.

Thank you Max, but I didn't need help tweeting

I had my first son over three years ago. During the nine months of pregnancy, I left my job, got married, did a semester of a masters in social work, and then decided to take the next year off from school for just me and the babe. I had my plate cleared and was ready to be a stay-at-home mom!


I’ll summarize what I learned from the first round - staying at home had the following major advantages:

1. Lots of one-on-one time with the kiddo.
2. Never have to hand off my adorable helpless child to a stranger at a daycare
3. All you have to do to get an amazing milk supply is breastfeed 21 hours a day.

Major disadvantages:

1. Lots of one-on-one time with the kiddo.
2. Never have get to hand off my adorable helpless child to a stranger at a daycare.
3. All you have to do to get an amazing milk supply is breastfeed 21 hours a day!!

I kid. Sort of. The truth was that while round one was amazing / wonderful / I-would-do-it-all-the-same-I-promise, I was going a little crazy without some more personal challenges and adult interaction. Babies are cool, but they don’t offer too much in the way of intellectual conversation.

Leading up to round two, I got sort of earthy crunchy - you may have heard of us ;) After a couple of years of part time grad school, I found my true calling in cloth diapers, breastfeeding, and baby carriers. Who knew.

While I was pregnant, there was a lot of thinking about what I wanted to do when Max was born. I had to decide if I wanted to make a go at starting a business now or waiting until I was settled with the kids, maybe even waiting until they were in school. My husband encouraged me to go for it, and now I’m in business -- part of the WAHM club.

“So,” you may ask, “is this WAHM thing the perfect solution?!” Well, of course you should know, there is no perfect solution; nothing in life is that simple, especially when there’s kids. Max is a year old now, and still nursing. Thinking back over the past year of nursing while working from home, two words come to mind: lucky and claustrophobia.
I have been so lucky to be able to work, while still having the breastfeeding benefits of being a stay at home mom. The greatest benefit for me has been the ability of nurse on demand and actually have the baby on the breast. Having the baby on the breast often allows the baby to get the deepest and fattiest milk, creating great demand and a great supply. Though many women pump and work out of the house, I think it would have been much more difficult to for me to have exclusively breast fed.

The other side of working from home while breastfeeding can only be described as claustrophobic, at least for me. While, I am so happy to be able to nurse my baby, there are times, I just want to work and not have a baby attached to my boob. Unfortunately, my little one doesn’t always understand that.

In the beginning, it wasn’t too bad, I could stick him in a baby carrier or use my My Breast Friend nursing pillow and write reviews, make invoices and do customer support at my computer. However, there was always a baby between me and what I needed to get done, which could be awkward, and often left me typing one handed and very slowly. Then very quickly, nursing and working wasn’t an option any more. The baby would constantly reach for my papers or computer, often erasing my hard work, or Tweeting for me. When he gets demanding about wanting to nurse, I want to rush through it, to get back to my time working, which is something I do so I can have something just for me, not mom or kid related.
I want to be able to focus on something without having a baby hanging off of me. I am often envious of parents who work out of the home and can focus only on their work. But despite it’s challenges, being able to work at home has been a wonderful experience. I know it has made me closer to my boys, and has absolutely facilitated a wonderful nursing experience.

My best advice for those in the same situation: don’t become a milk bar, but also, don’t rush the breastfeeding for work. My first time around I nursed on demand, all the time. This time, especially through baby-led weaning, I’ve been able to get the nursing down to 5 or 6 solid sessions a day by the time he’s one. When I do sit down to breastfeed with my little one, the times I feel most claustrophobic is when I spend the whole time thinking about how much I need to get back to work. It’s not always possible, but when you can, try to relax a little and use it as a break. Catch up on your TiVo, because getting frustrated isn’t going to make it go any faster, and you’ll miss out on enjoying the bonding time.

--
Jenn Leggett
Chief Executive Mama
Earthy Crunchy Mama
800-685-0662
earthycrunchymama.com

Pumping is hard work #breastfeeding

Pumping is hard work #breastfeeding

Thank you for letting me repost your story!

Meet Mama Pear Designs: A Shout Out and Giveaway

As a lot of you know I'm dying to get my on-line shop off the ground. The process is taking a little longer than I had hoped. Lara is one of the vendors I was introduced too in hopes of reselling her Lactivist inspired  T-shirts for Mom's and Onesies for Babies. Well my store may have taken off slow but my interest in her company did not leave so this July not only is my Shout Out/Giveaway Mama Pear Designs but I am dedicating my blog to one of my passions of Breast feeding.

My own stories with my three will be laced among other stories I was donated by Mom's who currently are, who have in the past and who have tried to breastfeed. This is my Shout Out to Mama Pear Designs.

First lets meet Lara who is the brains behind these natural organic cotton T's for Mom and Baby with personal shout outs on each item Pro Breastfeeding.

In the Spring of 2006, I found out that I was pregnant with my first child, and I immediately knew that once my baby was born I would do whatever necessary to breastfeed him. I was fortunate enough to have a baby who knew right from the start how to suckle, and then and there, a beautiful relationship came to be. I have since had another baby and I am enjoying nursing him just as much as I did my older son. In short, my journey through motherhood thus far has created a passion for breastfeeding. In my own personal experience I have found such joy, that I strive to help other moms-to-be realize the possibilities in the beautiful relationship that awaits them should they choose to nurse their babies. I also strive to encourage my friends who are also breastfeeding moms, when they encounter an issue that involves breastfeeding.


MamaPear Designs(TM) was born when it became overwhelmingly apparent to me that there needs to be a greater social awareness created with regard to, and a real public dialogue conducted about, breastfeeding. It needs to be encouraged and promoted by health professionals and mamas alike. My hope is that when you wear one of my designs, you will raise an eyebrow, provoke a thought, incite a question, and create awareness for a cause that needs women like you to help promote it. Join me as a proud Lactivist and let’s change the world…one pair at a time!


If you peek around this site, you will see that MamaPear Designs(TM) aims to be more than just a store. This is a place dedicated to sharing, educating, support, and giving back. Please stop by the support section for links to helpful breastfeeding resources and articles.


I am proud to announce that most recently my passion for breastfeeding has led me to formal education in this area so that I may help women learn the value of breastfeeding and how to feed their babies. I completed my Lactation Education Counselor training through University of California San Diego, and I am so excited to be qualified to teach and share my passion for breastfeeding with other moms (and dads) to be!


Thanks for stopping by, we hope that http://www.mamapeardesigns.com/ becomes one of your favorite places
Lara
Founder, MamaPear Designs
Certified Lactation Education Counselor (CLEC)
(Taken directly from www.mamapeardesigns.com About Me tab.) 

The Giveaway as always is my treat and for fun. I hope you will join in. I do check for honesty.  

The Giveaway will be a T-shirt of your choice from Mama Pear Designs to be announced July 31 9pm PST. Entries will stop being counted at 7PM PST.

There will be a bonus random drawings during the giveaway of a surprise item. Just because I like my readers.

• The Mandatory entry  Follow publicly with Google Friend Connect "GFC" and let me know by posting a comment. +1 entry
• Enter Mama Pear Designs 1st Anniversary giveaway (ends July 5th) + 2 entries and let me know.
• follow me @pinkradish on twitter +1 entry and let me know.
• follow @MamaPearDesigns on twitter +1entry and let me know.
• Like Blended Family of 5 on Face Book +1 entry and let me know.
• Post this giveaway to your Face Book page +1 entry and let me know
• Tweet (Blended Family of 5: July's Mama Pear Design Shout Out & Giveaway http://t.co/QZZFAEj Lactivist inspired wearable #giveaway Ends July 31) no more than once every 4 hours about this giveaway + 1 entry and let me know. 
• post a comment related to any breast feeding guest posts on my blog this month  +3 entries and let me know
• follow any one of the guest posters blogs  + 3 entries and let me know
• Write about this giveaway on your blog and link back. +3 entries and let me know                 
• email me the link to your breastfeeding story and allow me to publicly add to my blog roll for the month of July +5 entries and let me know

Lastly anyone who finds it in their heart to help offset my giveaway costs I sell Barefoot books and would be grateful if you'd consider a book for your self or someone you love.

Sells of Barefoot Books go back to you in my Shout Outs.

My Breast Feeding Failure by Lindsay

My Breast Feeding Failure

Baby #1: I was only 17 when my first daughter was born and breast feeding wasn't even an option for me back then. I was young and the whole breastfeeding thing grossed me out. Please keep in mind that I was only 17, a baby myself, that was ignorant to the benefits to both my baby and myself. So what are those benefits exactly? Well according to Medela there are many benefits for both mom and baby. Besides the many wonderful health benefits breast feeding brings, really there is a HUGE list that could be a post in itself, some of the important things that I missed out on is:

(borrowed from Medela)

The skin-to-skin contact encouraged by breastfeeding offers babies greater emotional security and enhances bonding.

Breast Feeding is the most natural and cheapest way to feed baby.

From 3 months to 12 months postpartum, breastfeeding increases the rate of weight loss in most nursing mothers.

Big fail on my part that I did not even consider giving my 1st born the best start at life.

Baby #2: I was older this time, in my late 20's, and wanted to breast feed my baby. From the moment was born she latched on and was a great feeder, but I was not producing any milk. After trying to feed her and pump for the two days that I was in the hospital, with no success, I couldn't stand the thought that my daughter had not eaten at all the first two days of her life and caved in a gave her formula. After that I pumped and still nothing :( I did not have the support of the hospital and was not informed by anyone that there was a medication that could help with milk production, therefore I gave up.

Yet again I failed. But there is something good that came from me not breast feeding my youngest daughter and that is my 3rd child! I found out that I was pregnant with my 3rd when Sena was only 5 months. We were not trying, nor were we preventing, but boy was that a surprise that most likely wouldn't have been possible if I were breast feeding. At first I cried...I mean I was just starting to get over PPD (postpartum depression) and started feeling like myself again, only to find out that I would have to do it all over again. But now that baby boy is here I could not imagine life without my little Buddy. He has, and continues to bring such joy to our lives.

Baby #3: Since I had trouble producing milk for Sena, I really wasn't expecting much in the breast feeding department, but I was sure going to try. Surprisingly I produced plenty of milk and my son was a great eater, but I had encountered a different type of obstacle: a 14-month old little girl running around and getting into everything she wasn't supposed to. I breast fed my son for the first month but could not find the time to sit and feed him with Sena running everywhere. That and I didn't want Sena to think that Kemi was more important to me than her because he took up all of my time. Truthfully I was having a hard time trying to find out how to divide my time between the two of them and was still trying to adjust to being a mom of two under 2 and an 11 year old.

Again I gave up to early. Again I failed.

For my next baby, yes we plan on having at least one more, I WILL succeed. This time I am more educated and know where to go for help, if I need it. I WILL talk to a lactation consultant before ever considering to stop. I WILL seek out support from other breast feeding momma's. I WILL give this next baby the best possible start, for as long as he/she wants to. I CAN and WILL do this!

For those that were successful in breast feeding their babies, what advise can you give to help me succeed with baby #4? What are your breast feeding stories, whether you failed or succeeded? Please only positive constructive comments. I know some of us mothers are very passionate about breast feeding and that it can be a touchy subject for some. I just want to hear other mother's stories and struggles to breast feed their children and how, if they did, overcome those obstacles.




{with permission barrowed from Linsay's Reviews & Giveaways}

My Breastfeeding Journey by Katy

My Breastfeeding Journey




I always knew I was going to breastfeed. My mom did, for all three of us. To me, there just wasn’t any other way. I got unexpectedly pregnant with my first daughter in Aug of 08. My husband had just left for our first deployment. I had to tell him over e-mail with a picture of the pregnancy test attached. I was freaked. After an almost 4 year hiatus from school due to moving every 9 months or less for military training, I was finally back in a 4 year college with 2 years to finish my degree in geology. How was I going to be the mom I wanted to be while in school? I decided what could fall by the wayside if things go to be too much-like cloth diapers, making my own baby food, etc. One thing that would not would be breastfeeding for a year. Come hell or high water, my daughter was going to be breastfed. My husband, however, was not at all supportive at first. He was formula fed. He and his sister turned out fine. It was gross, disgusting. I think he might have called it dirty at one point, but I can’t really remember. The bad part about our whole debate was it had to be done all over e-mail. Phone service when you are in the middle of ocean kinda blows. The few video chats we did have were spent on happier topics. I sent him article after article. I told him all the benefits for our baby and me. Finally I got him to shut up about it by providing a cost analysis of breast milk vs. formula, and if I had to use formula, it was going to be the organic kind from non-hormone treated cows, so we were talking a lot of money every month! Since he is the saver (and I’m the spender) in our relationship that got him to quiet down. Fast forward to the birth of our beautiful, spunky Hoo. Since I didn’t really know how it was all going to work out, I had gotten a can of organic formula & special bottles that really did look like the breast. I try getting her to latch on and nurse. She was born at 4:51 in the morning, so the staff lactation consultants aren’t there yet. A nurse is helping me try to get the right latch and she keeps pulling off. After successfully latching & her nursing for a few minutes, the nurse leaves, she stops and my husband steps in



“That’s it, she’s still hungry! I’m feeding her!”



He walks over to the bag to make a bottle. He was planning on making the whole thing and giving it to her (it was like a 9oz bottle!) because she just had to still be hungry! The nurse comes back and tells him to chill out, our daughter’s stomach was about the size of a dime & the ‘liquid gold’ of colsturm was plenty for her. The LC came in with ‘boob puppets’ that had a flip up panel to show all the parts of the breast. And she actually demonstrated the proper latch., with her own mouth and all. I was a little shocked, and my husband was trying his hardest not to laugh. She still wasn’t latching that well when she came back after a few hours so she had me squeeze a little bit on a spoon for my husband to give to her. I could tell he was less than pleased. After that first night and giving her the binkie, she learned how to suck properly and breastfeeding was going great. My husband was warming up to it, making jokes about cleaning up bodily fluids that had been processed by another creatures colon and was really happy when she stopped pooping every 2 hours at night because he didn’t have to do a thing when she got up.



At three months old I had to leave her with a sitter when I went to school. I had 13-hour days down at class, so of course I was pumping. I didn’t like the thought of an electric, so I used a manual pump and any class break I had that was longer than 15 minutes, I was out in my car, pumping away, carrying my little lunch cooler of milk to class. I would go rushing home every day, feeling like I was going to burst, grab my child & nurse while pumping at the same time. I hated pumping. The next semester my sitter entered her third trimester of pregnancy, so I found her a spot in a day care 5 minutes from my campus. I would arrive an hour early, nurse her before day care, go rushing out on my 1 hour lunch break, get her, feed her while eating myself, then pick her up at the end of the day, feed her & make the commute home. We had such a great little groove going.



Then at the very end of the year, 2 weeks before she turned one, I had to go out in the field for a geology project that had to be done or I wouldn’t graduate. It was 5 days away from my precious child, and the environment just wasn’t going to be conducive to pumping and storing (I really had no idea what to expect). So we decided to wean her, despite the many tears from me. We started at 11 months, cutting out the dinner, then the lunch, then the morning & I nursed her for my last time the night before I left. I cried. I just wasn’t ready. I had cried every day of the weaning process, especially that first time we cut out the dinner feeding and I could hear her cry and cry for me. I didn’t even have enough milk stored to give her that instead of cow’s milk. I held her that last night, rocked her and saw her sweet little face cuddled up to my breast and just cried. I tried to get her to eat more and more. I burned the memory into my skull.



I didn’t really feel that much pain from stopping during my trip, but long days hulling around rock samples and doing geologic mapping will do that to you. I could still get some milk out in the shower, so I held out the hope that maybe she would want to nurse when I returned. She didn’t. She was done. My little baby just wasn’t a baby any more.



We had been trying to have our second child for about a month, and I found out the day after I got back that I was pregnant. I wonder if that had something to do with her no longer wanting to nurse & the easy weaning. I still longed to nurse her.

We were driving back home shortly after the birth of our second child. I thanked my husband for being so supportive of breastfeeding our daughter and asked him what changed his mind-he had become so for it that I couldn’t believe it was the same person. He told me that he knew I was going to breastfed no matter what, and that he might as well be supportive of it rather than fight with me constantly. Nice. I asked him if he was glad that I did, and he got this soft, special ‘fatherly’ smile on his face and told me yes. He said watching me at the hospital with our second, when she latched on that I got this look over my face-this nurturing, loving, ahhh I’m breastfeeding finally look.



Seven weeks later, he had left for deployment and I almost lost my second baby due to a mystery illness. I had to use an electric pump for the first time to maintain supply, while wondering if the last time I nursed her at 1:30pm that day was going to be the last time ever. She couldn’t nurse for over 36 hours. She was crying in pain, crying for nourishment and my heart was breaking over not being able to nurse her. Every fiber of my being just wanted to put her to my breast and make everything better. I couldn’t even pick her up. When she finally was allowed to and latched on for the first time, I felt all the emotions from her first time nursing after birth. I could barely hold back the tears.



We left the hospital, and within a week she had gained a whole pound! We are rocking it now. I love looking at her chunky little body and know that it is from me, that I am the one giving her what she needs to grow. And this time, nothing will hold me back-she will wean when she wants too, not because of anything else. I think the best part about our whole journey together is not just my husband’s total change of heart, but seeing our older daughter walk around nursing her babies. I love that I am raising two girls who will see breastfeeding as a natural, normal event long before they ever see breasts used to sell cars.

Mama Pear Designs Giveaway

As a lot of you know I'm dying to get my on-line shop off the ground. The process is taking a little longer than I had hoped. Lara is one of the vendors I was introduced too in hopes of reselling her Lactivist inspired  T-shirts for Mom's and Onesies for Babies. Well my store may have taken off slow but my interest in her company did not leave so this July not only is my Shout Out/Giveaway Mama Pear Designs but I am dedicating my blog to one of my passions of Breast feeding.

My own stories with my three will be laced among other stories I was donated by Mom's who currently are, who have in the past and who have tried to breastfeed. This is my Shout Out to Mama Pear Designs.

First lets meet Lara who is the brains behind these natural organic cotton T's for Mom and Baby with personal shout outs on each item Pro Breastfeeding.

In the Spring of 2006, I found out that I was pregnant with my first child, and I immediately knew that once my baby was born I would do whatever necessary to breastfeed him. I was fortunate enough to have a baby who knew right from the start how to suckle, and then and there, a beautiful relationship came to be. I have since had another baby and I am enjoying nursing him just as much as I did my older son. In short, my journey through motherhood thus far has created a passion for breastfeeding. In my own personal experience I have found such joy, that I strive to help other moms-to-be realize the possibilities in the beautiful relationship that awaits them should they choose to nurse their babies. I also strive to encourage my friends who are also breastfeeding moms, when they encounter an issue that involves breastfeeding.


MamaPear Designs(TM) was born when it became overwhelmingly apparent to me that there needs to be a greater social awareness created with regard to, and a real public dialogue conducted about, breastfeeding. It needs to be encouraged and promoted by health professionals and mamas alike. My hope is that when you wear one of my designs, you will raise an eyebrow, provoke a thought, incite a question, and create awareness for a cause that needs women like you to help promote it. Join me as a proud Lactivist and let’s change the world…one pair at a time!


If you peek around this site, you will see that MamaPear Designs(TM) aims to be more than just a store. This is a place dedicated to sharing, educating, support, and giving back. Please stop by the support section for links to helpful breastfeeding resources and articles.


I am proud to announce that most recently my passion for breastfeeding has led me to formal education in this area so that I may help women learn the value of breastfeeding and how to feed their babies. I completed my Lactation Education Counselor training through University of California San Diego, and I am so excited to be qualified to teach and share my passion for breastfeeding with other moms (and dads) to be!


Thanks for stopping by, we hope that http://www.mamapeardesigns.com/ becomes one of your favorite places
Lara
Founder, MamaPear Designs
Certified Lactation Education Counselor (CLEC)
(Taken directly from www.mamapeardesigns.com About Me tab.) 

The Giveaway as always is my treat and for fun. I hope you will join in. I do check for honesty.  

The Giveaway will be a T-shirt of your choice from Mama Pear Designs to be announced July 31 9pm PST. Entries will stop being counted at 7PM PST.

There will be a bonus random drawings during the giveaway of a surprise item. Just because I like my readers.

• The Mandatory entry  Follow publicly with Google Friend Connect "GFC" and let me know by posting a comment. +1 entry
• Enter Mama Pear Designs 1st Anniversary giveaway (ends July 5th) + 2 entries and let me know.
• follow me @pinkradish on twitter +1 entry and let me know.
• follow @MamaPearDesigns on twitter +1entry and let me know.
• Like Blended Family of 5 on Face Book +1 entry and let me know.
• Post this giveaway to your Face Book page +1 entry and let me know
• Tweet (Blended Family of 5: July's Mama Pear Design Shout Out & Giveaway http://t.co/QZZFAEj Lactivist inspired wearable #giveaway Ends July 31) no more than once every 4 hours about this giveaway + 1 entry and let me know. 

                 

Lastly anyone who finds it in their heart to help offset my giveaway costs I sell Barefoot books and would be grateful if you'd consider a book for your self or someone you love.

Sells of Barefoot Books go back to you in my Shout Outs.

To all my lovely readers

Happy summer. I can't keep apologizing for my irregular post. My guess is most of you are enjoying summer. I have been off on disability for my back. My older kids have been out of school since last week. We joined the YMCA where I have been swimming daily or at least sitting sitting in filtered shade at the advice of my Spine Doctor. So far not much improvement but good things come to those to wait. My kids are loving it. I have been looming in the morning since I can while laying on my back. Lots of hats, baby blankets, scarves and purses to come to my Etsy shop if you want to see. Some sewing machine sewing, those projects take little longer since sitting is no fun. I am hoping to post some bags and sun hats to celebrate summer.

As far as the kids.......... Tanner, Marysa and Joey have been crafting key chains, friendship bracelets, and soap. Sonny and Declan are still going to daycare since watching them all day makes my pain increase and they have more fun with all the kids.

For your silly steak... Here are some great pics of table dancing before table dancing is not so cute.

Oh and one more thing. E-mail me your breastfeeding stories. I'd like my contributions to combat  the bad press Mama's have been getting for nursing their babies in public to be my blog All of July!!!! I'll be posting as many as I can,telling my own stories and a Shout Out/Giveaway  to a really cool Lactavist inspired shop Mama Pear Designs. I can't wait.

Thanks again for being a friend. I can't wait to hear from all of you.

~Mary L

Checking in with my goals

1.This years garden will be fabulous.

Early stage is looking good. I can't wait to get some containers and for the final frost to be over.
Burpee 72-Cell Greenhouse Kit - Seed Starting



2. I will have chickens.
I still don't have Warren on board with this idea. I have done a lot of research.

3. Learn to compost.
I started about two weeks ago. So far I think I'm doing well.Time will tell.

Exaco Trading ECO-2000 2.4 Gallon Kitchen Compost Waste Collector

4. Read more watch TV less.
This is still a struggle. I am trying out the Kindle on my Android.
Motorola DROID X Android Phone (Verizon Wireless)


5. Run more.
I have to wait for a thumbs up for the doctor about my back.

6. Reduce house hold clutter by 50%.
Not as far as I'd like to be. Little by little bags of out grown clothing and shoes have been leaving. Next is the boxes in the garage. Pics to follow.

7. Take family to the snow.

So I got almost got them all to the snow. Warren and Tanner were home sick.

8. Visit 3 state/national parks with the kids.
Columbia is our first park. We drove past it today. I told them about it and now they are ready. Now to wait on the snow to melt and spring to get here. Oh yeah and pick two more parks.

9. Keep strong with eating and feeding my family healthy.
Started off strong. I slipped this last weekend with Sonny's birthday. Time to start up again. More healthy dinner blogs to follow.

10. Get Sonny to sleep in his own bed.
Ok he is not in his own bed every night but he is dry almost every night. We finally ditched the bottle. (Given to him the first time at  1 1/2 years to attempt to reduce breastfeeding a little while we expected his brother. It back fired. DON'T GIVE BABIES BOTTLES!!!!!!)