Mission: Possible! Ten Breastfeeding Tips from a Mom Who Knows

So, you've decided to breastfeed your child. Great choice! I don't have to tell you about the benefits of breastfeeding. Everyone knows breast is best and I like to think most moms would breastfeed their child if given the right education and support. In fact, according to the CDC, as of 2010, 77% of mothers start breastfeeding their babies. Unfortunately, that number goes down as the child gets older with only 49% of moms breastfeeding babies the recommended 6 months. Some of the reasons for this include going back to work with little or no support for pumping, or just having trouble getting through the first weeks. I'd like to say I know all the answers, but I don't! I do my research and I learn as I go. However, having breastfed three children and having various experiences with each, I have some tips that may help out the moms who are planning on breastfeeding and want to come in to it prepared.

My Top Ten Breastfeeding Tips:
#1 - Educate yourself! Read all about it! Join support groups like La Leche League or online/Facebook support groups. Ask questions of other breastfeeding moms that you may know. The more you know, the easier it will be to get past those hurdles that you will most definitely encounter. One of my favorite websites for breastfeeding information is KellyMom.

#2 - Three words: Skin-to-skin! I had c-sections with both of my boys. Some say that when you have a c-section it takes longer for your milk to come in. I did skin-to-skin with my boys in the hospital and my milk was in by day three or four with both of them!

Pic by Jen Schneider
#3 - Get comfortable. Get a comfy chair for nursing. You'll spend a lot of time there. Get a good nursing pillow and while your in the hospital work with the lactation consultants to find the hold that works best for you.

#4 - Newborn babies have really tiny stomachs. This means they eat often. It may be every two hours, but when you feed baby for 30 minutes, he may want to come back to the breast an hour later. That's ok. He may be hungry again. He may just want to suckle. Give him what he needs. Nothing is wrong with you or him. This is normal.

#5 - Get some lanolin. Contrary to what some may say, it shouldn't really hurt THAT much to breastfeed. Sure, it's a sensation you have to get used to. But if the baby is latched properly, it won't hurt while he's nursing. UNLESS - he is nursing what seems almost non stop. Your nipples will get a little sore. So, let them air dry if you can. Then put a little lanolin on them. It helps with the soreness and will make breastfeeding more tolerable.

#6 - Find some ways for Daddy to help out. It's really easy for the baby's dad to feel left out because you spend most of the time with him. After all, he's eating 8 to 10 times a day! But if you find some ways for dad to help out, baby can bond with his dad as well! Dad can change the baby's diaper and bring him to you to feed him at night. He can spend some skin-to-skin time with baby too!

#7 - Going back to work? Get a freezer stash going! You don't have to start this right away, but you should start it at least a couple of weeks before you go back to work so you can stay ahead of what the baby needs. I didn't do this and I regretted it later because I couldn't keep up with my baby's needs and had to supplement with formula. It's a good idea to pump in the mornings because you usually have the most milk in the mornings. You can pump when the baby nurses (if you're that coordinated) or you can pump right after the baby is done nursing. You may only get one or two ounces a session, but that's ok. You're just building up a stash and one to two ounces is normal. Pumping gets out way less than the baby ever could.

#8 - Don't forget the nursing pads! You are going to need them, especially in the earlier days when you are nursing a lot. I noticed the more that my son wanted to nurse, the more I would leak when he was not nursing! And if you are going out, you might want to throw some extras in your purse/diaper bag along with an extra bra and shirt! Better safe than sorry.

#9 - Have a lot of healthy snacks around the house. You will get hungry! I tried to make sure I ate after every time the baby would eat (except in the middle of the night) and that I drank plenty of water. Eating healthy snacks throughout the day and drinking lots of water will also help you lose that baby weight faster.

#10 - Don't be ashamed to breastfeed! For some, this is easier said than done. We've grown up in a culture that tells us that breasts are sexual. They are something men like to look at, sure. But let's not let this take away from their real purpose, nourishing our little ones! You may not feel comfortable breastfeeding in public, with or without a cover. That's ok. Do what feels comfortable for you. If that means you supplement with formula or bring pumped bottles along when you go out, that's fine. Just remember, you don't need to apologize for breastfeeding. Most states have laws that say you can breastfeed your baby ANYWHERE. So don't let someone tell you that you need to leave or go in a bathroom or to your car to breastfeed your baby. Be discreet about it, of course, but remember your baby is just eating and you are doing what is right for your baby!

My Weight Loss Journal - I Got Stuck!

Well, I officially plateaued. I've been stuck at 170 since May. What to do now? Well, for the past month and a half I've been slacking off. I'll admit that. My daughter got out of school and there was no reason to walk 2 miles every day anymore so I stopped. I play Just Dance every once in a while. I do chores around the house to burn some calories. But all in all, I have not been on it with the exercise and I've paid the price. I also overdid it a little with the eating over the 4th of July weekend. I guess I had lost a little confidence that I could lose that last 20 pounds.

Yesterday, my parents came over and I found a video from my dad's 60th birthday. It had pictures of me at various points in time. These went back all the way to 1999, to 2007 right after my daughter was born, and around 2009 or so when I was definitely at my largest weight. Seeing how much my weight fluctuated and how small I was at times really gave me the determination to get back on track. I already look way better than I did back in 2009. I know I may never get back to how I looked in 1999, but that doesn't mean I can't try!

So today I broke out my EA Active game on the Wii. I played for 20 minutes, and I was sweating buckets! It was intense! I am going to do the 30 day challenge on this game and see how that goes. I will throw in some other workouts too, like walks to the part or just chasing the kids around the yard. We've got to get a zoo trip in again too this summer. I'm ready to lose that last 20 pounds and then some!

Summer Craft - Watermelon Paper Plates

In an effort to curb the massive TV time in our home, I have instituted "craft time". Our first craft was found on a Pinterest post at the blogFrogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails. This craft is so easy. My 20 month old son did very well. It's also fun, so my 7-year-old daughter enjoyed it too.

Big Sister's watermelon

T-Rex's watermelon

T-Rex was new at the craft thing. He tried to eat markers and paper, but we got through it and made a really cute project!

Lessons I've Learned from My Second-Grader

The latest installment in my Lessons I've Learned series focuses on my 7-year-old daughter.

Lessons I've Learned from My Second-Grader:

> Laugh! Tell jokes! If you're having a bad day, it can always be made better by laughing.

> Run! Be active! If you're feeling bored or lethargic, it will get you going.

> You can never listen to a great song too many times. Her favorite right now is Pharrel's "Happy".

> Kiss your baby. A lot. They like it and let's face it, so do you. If you don't have a baby, ask someone else if you can kiss theirs.

> Petting a dog makes you happy. If you don't have a dog, ask someone else if you can pet theirs.

What lessons has your son or daughter taught you?

Butterflies and Fish - Photo Post

We are sure enjoying our zoo pass this year! We've been there three times already and we just got the pass two months ago! This trip, I took pictures of the butterflies and some animals in the aquarium. Not all of them turned out to well. The butterflies move a lot and the aquarium is a bit dark, but I did get some good shots.

This butterfly has the largest wingspan of any butterfly.

I love the bright color of this eel and they are so interesting to watch.

My son wanted to catch the fish.

He was very interested in the stringrays. In the picture below, he was trying to catch one that was near the bottom of the aquarium.

I hope you have enjoyed my photos! There's always a lot to see at the zoo and I'm sure we'll be back many times over the next few months. Hopefully I can get some more great photos!

God is Just Not Fair - A Review

This is a review of the book God is Just Not Fair by Jennifer Rothschild. Jennifer has gone through her share of heartache and suffering. She became blind at age 15 and has since written many books and spoken at conferences about trusting in God.

"Why would God allow this to happen to me?" "How can a God who is good and doesn't make mistakes allow something like this to happen?"
We all struggle with questions like this. If I have learned anything from reading the Bible, attending church and listening to sermons on the subject, and walking in faith myself over the years, it is that there is really no definitive answer to these questions.

I don't know what I was expecting from this book, then. I wasn't expecting the answer because if I haven't found any answer besides "trust in God" in the Bible, I wouldn't find it in another book. I was somewhat disappointed in this book. It was a difficult read because this is difficult subject matter. I found it was more or less a rehash of things I have already heard. Things like, "God has a plan." "Have faith, even though you may not understand his ways." It's not that I don't believe these things. I do. But they don't make the heartache or the struggle go away. They can make it easier. Trusting in God and wrapping ourselves in our "blanket of faith", as Rothschild puts it, can help us get through things others simply could not.

I didn't learn anything new from this book, but others may be able to. If you have a hard time getting things out of scripture and you want a book that lays it out for you, this is a good book to read. I, however, didn't really get anything extra out of it that I couldn't get from simply reading the Bible and reflecting on it myself.

I receive these books free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookLook Bloggers book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

My Weight Loss Journal - So Far, So Good!

I've decided to jump on the band wagon of so many blogs and chronicle my weight loss (or maybe I should rename it my "healthy gain!") on my blog.

When I was pregnant with my first son back in November of 2012, I got up to 225 lbs. I lost that weight and then some during the 5 months that I was breastfeeding. By April of 2013, I was down to 185 lbs. Major weight loss for me!


Me in February 2013
Surprise! I got pregnant. The pregnancy along with combination of quitting breastfeeding did not work well for weight loss. I gained some of the weight back and by December of 2013, I was 208 lbs.

Me in December 2013, just 5 days before Little K was born.
Fast forward almost 4 months. I've been breastfeeding full time, walking 2 miles 5 days a week to take my daughter to school and pick her up, chasing after my toddler (inside and outside), walking up and down the stairs as we now live in a two floor town home instead of an apartment, and playing a whole lot of Just Dance on the Wii! So far, I have lost 38 pounds and I am 20 pounds away from my goal I had set after my first son was born. I feel very motivated and sure that I can get there! The unfortunate thing about all this (of course I don't see it that way) is that now I need a lot of new clothes. The thrift store is going to be my best friend, and I plan on having a yard sale soon to get rid of some of my old clothes and get money to buy new ones!

Me in February of 2014

Me in April of 2014