"I Support You", I am a Breast and Formula Mom!

 

If some of you out there have a daily news addiction like I do, you may have already heard about a Mom that's making some headlines. Kim @ Mama By The Bay , who also happens to be blog for The Huffington Post, is also a fellow bloggy Mommy speaking out about what it means to be a breastfeeding and formula feeding Mom.

To read her blog click on this link: I Support You by Mama By The Bay
Here is an excerpt from her posting:

"When I was a Formula Mom, I used to pour formula into Medela bottles, so that the other moms at playgroup thought that it was pumped breastmilk. I felt their eyes on me. I felt shame, and embarrassment. I was different.
Now I am a Breast-Feeding Mom, and I get funny looks and nasty stares when I nurse in public. I feel everyone’s eyes on me. I feel shame, and embarrassment. I am different.
I am tired. I am angry. I refuse to carry the weight of everyone else’s judgment anymore.
I am standing up today to say with pride, that I am feeding my children with love.
And I’m 100% sure that you are too.
I am standing up with Suzanne Barston, The Fearless Formula Feeder and author of Bottled Up. I am standing up with Jamie Lynne Grumet, a breastfeeding advocate and blogger at I Am Not The Babysitter. We are standing together, and we’re asking you to stand up with us."

I read her recent post called "I Support You" and to be honest it really hit home for me. It is one of the most well written and relatable articles on the subject of which is the better way to feed your child after birth and I completely agree with her view, no way is the right way! Sometimes one way is necessary over the other counting your circumstance, as well as personal choice.

Back in 2008, when I had my first daughter, I felt the pressure to try breastfeeding because everyone told me it was better for my baby. After my daughter was born, my only lactation consultant at the Naval Hospital happened to be a young Navy officer who was scared to even look at me topless let alone teach me how to get my little one to latch properly. After 2 weeks of bleeding, aching, cracked nipples, I finally just figured it out on my own. Then four weeks later I had to returned to work at the Cancer Diagnostic lab where I was employed and tried to balance pumping in the ladies bathroom in a stall. On top of that. I was trying to introduce my recently returned veteran husband to the world of an infant, she was a month old when he came home from Iraq.
Eventually the stress of work, daycare arrangements, and dealing with being new parents took a toll on my body and I was no longer able to produce the amount of breast milk my daughter needed. I felt like a failure. So we had no choice but to go to formula. But, it turned out fine and she turned out to be a totally healthy little girl and has never had any major health issues.

In 2010, we welcome a second baby girl and again we tried breastfeeding. But then at her 2 week appointment we were advised that she was going to need a referral to another hospital for a possible developmental issue. After another week of waiting to be seen by the specialist, we were told she had craniosynostosis.
Eventually my maternity leave ran out, I was back at work. Again the stresses started in again. Juggling doctors appointments for my daughter along with her normal pediatric appointments, more stress from taking a higher position, and dealing with daycare issues from flaky babysitter after another until we finally found a great provider. Eventually, I stopped producing breast milk for my baby girl once again after only 3 and a half months. We had been fortunately supplementing with formula during the last month. This time however I understood there were circumstances I couldn't control and made me realize that we needed to change how we looked at nurturing our children.

Now with our son due soon, I'm in a position where I'm not working in a stressful environment, or dealing with daycare providers who bail at the last minute. I look forward to hopefully breastfeeding with him for as long as possible. However, if I can't, I will use formula and not feel bad about it.

So to those Mom's out there that are feeling the pressure about breast or formula feeding, all I have to say is don't. regardless of your choice I support You. It's no one else's choice but your own. So screw those around you who are trying to force you into a decision you yourself are not comfortable with.

I also ask that others out there, support your fellow Moms. No one else understands what it's like to be a mother but other Mom's. Adoptive, Birth, or Otherwise!

Breast Trendy: In Honor of Breastfeeding Week

It's amazing how many offers I've seen this week in honor of Breastfeeding Week. When I was slinging my girls the old udder it was still much a taboo, even in 2008! Luckily as more and more people are advocating this very natural way of rearing children, there have been some awesome Mommy & Baby friendly items that are popping up on the market. For me (now 33 weeks pregnant) I am really looking forward to trying some of these items out.

The wonderful folks over at www.sevenslings.com are actually holding a great promotion right now if your in the market for a baby sling. In honor BF Week, if you use their coupon code BFWEEK13 you will receive a free baby sling (however it does not cover S&H). I ordered "The Captain" sling for my little guy. Altogether with the shipping and handling, minus the exchange insurance, it was only $11.90 with tax included. The normal price for these stylish slings are normally $39 to $49 bucks counting on which sling or set you choose.





If you also go to their sister sites you can use the same promo code to get a free nursing cover, carrier covers, and nursing pillows.

Another item in the process of ordering is from NyUrbanAccessories on Etsy. The shop owner has created a really awesome line of infinity scarfs that are also nursing covers and can be worn long or in the normal wrap around fashion, both which still cover the ladies when confronted with nosy onlookers giving you the stink eye. At $25.00 a piece, these fashionable scarfs are made of lightweight material so they won't smother your little one or cause you to sweat your brains out.

  

I know some of you veteran Mom's don't you miss those old school covers that were like wearing a fleece blanket during an August heat wave.

I am so excited now for my little guy to get here and knowing I'm well prepared.

If you know any expecting or new Mom's out there, please share the promotion listed above. Trust me, they'll love you for it.

And as always, I want to know what you guys think about Breastfeeding Week? Have there been any promotions or products that you've found and loved? Let me know!

Until next posting, XoXo

From Boobies to Bottles

Buying stuff for a new baby is hard. I know, I've already had to go through it twice before. Luckily with our second baby it turned out to be a girl like our first born, so the buying and preparation weren't as bad.

Now with our new bouncing (and I mean he literally shifts everywhere) baby boy, I've been on the hunt for some cool and fun products that won't destroy our bank account.

First on my list of must gets just happened to be a breast pump, bottles, and all the necessary accessories that go along with them. Also considering that it's National Breastfeeding Week, I decided to stay on theme. I myself am a big breastfeeding advocate, so all you breastfeeding Moms out there keep doing what your doing for the benefit of your munchkins.


The outcome of my shopping trip. Love, love, love...

If your in the market for a well priced pump, which is also easily assembled and cleaned, I would really recommend the Medela Single Breast Pump system. I am not good with assembling anything, ask my husband...but this one was actually really easy and it's not bulky, so it's easy to store. They also give you two starter bottles, storage bags and two sanitary bags for easy cleaning. I got mine on sale too for about $159.00. A dual pump set is anywhere from $269.00 to $299.00 right now.

What the set looks like after it's put together.

 I also purchased a couple fun products that Boon just released. The Grass and Twig bottle drying accessories. Back when I had my girls we just used dishtowels to dry their bottles after sanitizing them. However, that also created extra laundry. Plus the grass and "twig" look super cute on my kitchen counter without taking up a huge amount of space! The "Grass" was only $15 and the Twig was $12 but I got it for $9 on sale.

 

I feel so much better about getting these things off my long list of baby items has been a major weight off my shoulders. Plus it doesn't feel like my kitchen is overrun with baby stuff, although I'm sure it's coming.

So I want to know, if your shopping for baby, what are some of your favorite products that you have found? Send me a link and I'll check them out!

Until next time!