Breastfeeding..the Big Lie

Before I gave birth I received numerous consultations from lactation experts about the joys of motherhood and breastfeeding. Although I planned to return to work by 6 weeks, I made a conscious descision to breastfeed my son. I wanted to make sure that he had the best start at life. I was very suprised at my own experience compared to the stories that I was told.  

Lie #1
Breastfeeding is easy and natural

While breastfeeding IS natural, it is certainly not easy. I remember being shown videos of newborns fresh out of the womb inching towards their mothers nipple and instantly latching on.Easy as pie. Not. The latch between the mother and baby can take a long time to develop. It took us atleast six weeks before we were trully in sync with each other. When I talk to nonbreastfeeding moms, this was usually the source of their frustration that led them to formula.

Lie #2
It is fast and requires little preparation

Ehhhh. Preparation is the name of the game.You are practically tied at the hips with this kid. You can't go anywhere for more then two hours without stocking the fridge or freezer with milk. You are constantly worrying do I have enough milk stored? Wait a second. Now I have too much milk stored...Is he eating enough? Going anywhere requires preparation with clothes, coverups, or blankets. Or you could just freestyle it. But I can't promise that strangers wont give you the evil eye. If you are at work you have to constantly find time throughout your day to pump for the next day or weeks supply. Lets face it...the formula is faster.

Lie # 3
You will loose soooo much weight by breastfeeding

Everyones body is different. Some people report being smaller then before their pregnancy. This is NOT the case for everyone. While you do burn hundreds of calories breastfeeding, you are also very hungry. They estimate that you should take in 500 more calories in your diet than before. Throughout the day I feel like I am a ravaging monster. I make sure that I take in enough water, iron, calcium rich foods for my milk. AND I am still hungry every two hours. I feel like my metabolism is revved up all day.

Truth
There are so many drawbacks to breastfeeding, and I just named a few. But the good definitely outweigh the bad. I think lactation consultants try to feed you a picture of blissful happiness. I like the hard fast truth. Breastfeeding is not easy, but it is the best nutrient for your baby. It will be many hard days, but it is definitely worth it. That isn't so hard right?

Either way we can put these white lies behind us, and move on to a more truthful future. The truth is I love breastfeeding. Breastfeeding really helps me bond with my son, and I feel such a strong connection with him. There is nothing more amazing then snuggling together after breastfeeding. There is something extraordinarily great seeing him grow and knowing that I am partly responsible. It is worth all of the hard work.

10 Things Im Now Obsessed With

In No particular Order

www.babycenter.com

"Oh no my son has a bump on the back of his head! Could this be from when I dropped him on the floor?" ...Ummm No. Its just a lymph node. Thank you babycenter.com for answering all of my ridiculous questions and saving me from countless doctors visits.

Naps

You're Sleepy little one. You are so sleepy. Who could resist a little daytime napey here and there. It's my newfound love. How did I ever survive my cranky teenage years without them?


Yogurt

Whats not to love? Great calcium building for a breast feeding mom.

Teen Mom

Providing me with entertainment and constant reality checks. Always great to ask yourself "Is this right?...Or am I having a teen mom moment."

Mayoclinic.com

Great resource for when you dont want to trust the moms on babycenter.com. This is your child we are talking about! Lets hear how the experts weight in.

One Piece Jumpers

They make life simple. Zip up and Snap

Thirty One Gifts
I am a HUGE fan and consultant of Thirty-One Gifts. Their stuff is so adorable! It makes home organizing and daytrips so much easier. I store my bottles and diaper bags all in my square utulity tote and go. https://www.mythirtyone.com/109336

Swaddle Blankets

The Best Anti Startle/Moro device in existence. Swaddle Blanket=Restless Nights

Medela Swing Pump

This is my safety blanket. Great item for all working moms that need to pump on the go. Lets just try to be safe. Dont pump and Drive.(Ahem)

Alex

Yes He is a thing! Thing 1 to be precise

Office Talk

Names and situations have been changed to protect the innocent

Work can sometimes get a little boring. Office Talk is great to spice things up, and keep it entertaining. There's the usual talk about family, the weekend, hobbies, recent news. Of course there is always politics and religion too if you are really bored and want to venture into possible hostile territory. Most people live by the rule of KISS; Keep it Simple Stupid. Simplicity usually equates to family. Everyone usually enjoys themselves with talks about their latest family outting, funny kids story, or their recent quabble with their husband.

There is always that one co-worker that has to out-do your story. If your child can run 2 miles...hers can run 4. If your son got a tuition scholarship, his got tuition plus room and board. Everyone has their office offender, the over zealous mom. Her story usually starts out "My son is like the smartest kid. Yesterday he..." My mind usually tunes out at the dot dot dot. . The key is to make sure that you wait for a pause, and then state "Wow! Your son really is smart." Your response doesnt have to be fancy, keep it simple. Tell her what she wants to hear.

This was usually my routine in these types of conversations, until one day I woke up to hear my two month old baby singing with my husband. "Wow. He is amazing. He clearly must be the smartest baby on the planet." I suddenly became an overwhelming proud parent. I noticed all of his new developments. He could now sing, dance in the mirror, laugh, giggle, and even manipulate us with his various cries. He was/is a genius.

A sleepy slow day came while volunteering on the weekend, and the topic quickly switched to the usual talk. Thats when the overzealous mom began. "My son Chris is so smart. He is practially teaching the other students. The chairman of his department asked if he could be a TA next semester. He is being scouted by most of the fortune 500 companies. They are pratically throwing moeny at him." Im not sure why, or how, but I quickly interjected. "Yes Alex is really smart too. Im constantly amazed at him. He is like a small boy wonder. Did I mention that he can talk? Did I mention that he can sing? He can also play the piano too. He can read and write. .

I looked up to see my everyone in a daze. I quickly wrapped up my story just in time to hear them say "Wow. Alex is amazingly smart."That's when I realized what I had done. I was now the over zealous mom.

Nosy Baby Stalkers

There seems to be something innate within us all that compells us to stalk babies. This stalking can be seen at the grocery store, the doctors office,and particularly at the mall. Basically anytime that you appear to be leisurely enjoying your life...a stalker appears. They usually start out smiling, then they began to peer over your shoulder, hoping for a quick glance at whats in the carrier/stroller. Some of the stalkers are very tactful, and just "happen" to appear in the same aisle as you. Others try to block your cart, until you are forced to look them in the eyes.

Of course their first comment is always the usual " Ohhh he's so beautiful." My first month being a new parent I truly believed their comments. Yes! Me and my husband have superior genes, and have managed to produce the cutest baby in existence. But one day while shopping in the mall, I happened to glance at a fellow mother across the staircase. She looked confused as she was suddenly bombarded by a hoard of people stalking her baby. Thats when it happened. Everyone said exactly the same thing "Look at her she is so beautiful." Gosh. I thought. I guess this is the standard greeting that everyone says to parents. Its like they are trained to say the same line to all parents. Where does this come from?

After this day I was determined not to be caught in their web of lies. Why should I let them peer into my stroller, just to satisfy their hunger?

That's when I built the anti-baby stalking device.

"Ohhhh can I see the baby?" I quickly reply. "He's sleeping and the light will wake him up."

This annoys them. It thwarts their plans. They were not prepared for this situation. Who wants to wake up a sleeping baby?

White Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust
2 cups oreo cookie crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted

Raspberry Filling
1 (11 ounce) package frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water

Cheesecake Filling
2 cups white chocolate chips
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips, stir until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.

Place cheesecake on top rack with a sheetpan of water on the bottom rack. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Turn the oven off and allow heat to escape for ten minutes. Close the door and allow the cheesecake to finish setting for 45 minutes. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce and chocolate flakes.

Recipe modified from Allrecipes.com, http://allrecipes.com/recipe/white-chocolate-raspberry-cheesecake/

Baby Acne

So my son has baby acne. Although I have many younger siblings, I have never seen baby acne. This was definitely unfamiliar territory! I felt like my own face was scarred. A personal shame that had inflicted my sons beautiful face. Of course people didn't make me feel better about the situation. I heard so many comments about his acne "Are you drinking enough water?... Thats what causes the bumps on his face"; "Maybe you are eating too much dairy"; "He might be allergic to something in your milk. Everyone had their opinions about the situation. His acne is healing up pretty nicely now after his pediatrician prescribed hydrocortisone.

His Acne in the worst state


Here's what the experts say about Baby Acne:

Baby acne is acne on a newborn's skin, usually on the cheeks, chin and forehead. Baby acne isn't pretty, but it's common — and temporary. There's little you can do to prevent baby acne. The best treatment is usually none at all.

Baby acne is usually caused by hormonal changes that occurred during the mother's pregnancy. Baby acne is more common in boys. Rarely, baby acne is a sign of a hormonal problem.

Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/baby-acne/DS01060/DSECTION=causes

About Us

We are two new parents trying our best not to kill our first child. Surviving so far with a few mishaps along the way.