my breastfeeding must-haves.

for those of you who know me, i'm a HUGE advocate for breastfeeding. sure, everyone has their reasons for why they do or don't but for me it was an absolute must that i breastfed my children. my first attempts with emma were a nightmare -not going to lie. i'm pretty sure my breasts hated me for all the torture i put them through, though it's a learning curve for both you and your baby so it is IMPERATIVE you get the help you need in order for it to be a success. after multiple attempts and failure to get the rhythm going, i sought out help from a lactation consultant. the doctors at the vancouver breastfeeding clinic were absolutely amazing and gave me the confidence to keep at it and sure enough i was on my way to a beautiful connection with both my girls.

i could go on and on about technique, but then you'd be cross-eyed..so if you're ever interested or need help, i'd be more than happy to give you tips. i have my sister and many friends whom i've helped establish breastfeeding and all of them became pros!

anyhow, this blog is about my absolute must-haves if you plan to breastfeed your child. they are as follows:

1. a nursing pillow. my brest friend was literally, my breast friend. it is made of a firm foam in a shape that fits post-partum tummies along with a clip to secure it from sliding off your lap. it has two raised areas for baby's head to rest on and a handy pocket for breast pads, nipple shield, cel phone -cuz once you get the hang of breastfeeding..you'll be texting a lot lol!

2. milk catchers. as you know, every single drop of breast milk is liquid gold and as your body learns to produce the right amount at the right time, they will leak. breast shells allows you to catch the milk from the breast that baby is not latched onto so that you can store it for near-future use in the fridge. the shells also allow your nipples to "air-dry" while wearing a sports bra (because they WILL get chapped). the alternative is letting your boobs hang out all day long..but that's not always practical! they ALSO alleviate engorged breasts. an absolute MUST-HAVE.

3. nipple shields. this may-or-may-not work for you depending on what shape your breast/nipple is but 2 people i know benefitted from using one. the shield which comes in different sizes will help baby latch onto your nipple especially when its chapped/cracked. my tip is to express some milk into and onto the shield so that baby gets some incentive to latch on. ;)

4. a breast pump. both avent and medela make excellent pumps -electric and manual. mine is the avent manual single pump and i love it. i used it with both girls and it definitely did the trick. my advice is to only purchase the single pump as you'll be messing with supply and demand if you're pumping both breasts at the same time. if you are doing it to create a supply for when you have to go back to work or like having it on hand, i would suggest waiting until baby is atleast 6 months old before you start "double-milking" yourself lol!

5. syringe/dropper. for the first 6 weeks of baby's life, its imperative that s/he doesn't get nipple confusion from being fed frequently with a bottle. usually your baby kit (the one that has the baby nail clipper, comb, thermometer, etc) will contain a dropper or syringe for dosing medication. use this to administer pumped breast milk or formula so that the only nipple that baby will know is yours! this will remove the frustruation of latching issues.

6. bottles. once breastfeeding is relatively established, its important to have good bottles on hand. dr. brown's makes excellent bottles with the proper shaped nipple and removes air to eliminate colic and vomiting. i suggest purchasing bottles no larger than 4oz as your baby's tummy is literally the size of a walnut when they are born. be in control of their bottle feeding as babies will typically continue to take from a bottle because it flows easily thus drinking more than they should. breastfeeding is more work for babies, so they will only take what they need!

7. lanolin.  to soothe those sore and cracked nipples, its lanolin all the way. warm some up between your thumb and index finger and apply to the nipples, areola and your breast pad. applying it to the breast pad will prevent the sticking and potential opening of a healing scab. (gross i know, but true!)

8. breast pads. once breastfeeding is in full force, the slightest thing will make you leak. hearing a child cry (not even your own!), thinking of your baby, or being emotional will trigger a let-down. you can purchase cloth ones that can be re-washed (i don't really have to use them anymore but will use these if i know i will be away from baby and miss a few feedings) or disposable ones. i like medela's and nuk's.

9. hooter hiders. at first, breastfeeding in public places will seem like a challenge. most public places, especially malls have nursing rooms in their bathrooms. using a nursing canopy will allow you to have the comfort and privacy to breastfeed virtually anywhere. not only does it have a cute name, it comes in very stylish patterns! i own the hooter hider, but the munchkin brand is comparable.

well, there you have it. most of these items can be purchased at a babies 'r' us and definitely at a tj's the kiddies store.

breastfeeding is such an amazing gift. not only does our body carry and grow this miraculous being, it creates nutrition that is perfectly designed for your baby. some mums breeze through it and others, like me, struggle. my motto is, if you can deliver a baby, you can do anything! seek out professional help if you are having difficulties. i know its easier to prepare a bottle but in the long run, you learn how frustrating that can be. breast milk is fresh, temperature correct and best of all FREE! so with that, i wish you good luck and positive vibes on your breastfeeding journey! :)

a lovey for livi.

i've mentioned in a post somewhere about the struggles i've been having with olivia getting to sleep. honestly, how hard could it be right? just let her cry for a minute or two to see if she'll settle, or ever-so-gently lay her into her crib once she's zonked out in your arms. wrong-o! after leaving her with my sister and brother-in-law for a night out with the hubster, my sister physically understood what it meant to keep that little munchkin asleep.

since it's clear olivia sufferes from separation anxiety, anna suggested i introduce a lovey to olivia. what a great idea! as a baby shower gift, i had received a box of loveys called "a pair and a spare" -literally what it holds!

i've decided to name it "gi-gi" as a simple name for giraffe and as you can see, 2 are being put to good use. one is already in the wash and the other she's currently snuggling with at mid-morning nap.

having a lovey around means i have to add another item to the list of things to remember. as if my brain isn't already crammed! referencing the book: the no-cry sleep solution, the author suggests you have the lovey around during key sleep triggers (ie. nursing to sleep, rocking) so they seek comfort in that little furry object, so that's what i've been doing. i've also brought it into the car so its beside her in the car seat, and where ever she might potentially have a nap. she resists it a bit, grabbing it and trying to toss it somewhere else, but i know persistence is key!

i remember i had a raggedy andy doll (still have it tucked away as a keepsake!) that i loved to absolute bits when i was a kid. as a thumbsucker back then, i'd find a sharp point (like an edge of fabric) and rub it against my nose because i liked how it felt. (weird! i know! lol) that doll went through a lot and once it got really raggedy, my mom tried to give me a new one. and i protested like you would've believe to the point where i guess she dug it outta the trash to give it back to me. with this pair and spare deal, you can always rotate them to keep them fresh and always have that extra one incase one gets left behind somewhere.

emma never really grew attached to anything growing up, though she enjoyed cuddling with stuffies to sleep. my main thing is that i want olivia to have a restful sleep, not one where she's up minutes after being put down. i'm hoping this will be successful, as i've had it up to here with her constant waking!

judging by this photo, i think we won't have too much of a struggle ;)

the littlest one is sick.

there's nothing worse than having a sick baby. olivia has now caught the dreaded cold bug that has plagued our family for the last month and a half. also to add to the mix is teething, not sleeping in her crib and detesting the high chair. so basically she's glued to my hip which makes the day to day slightly difficult.

two things that have helped me a lot through this has been coryzalia and camilia, both naturopathic products that help alleviate symptoms of a cold and of teething. i highly recommend it and it is available for purchase shopper's drug mart and save on foods and its affiliates.

i have resorted to bribing her with little treats like baby mum mums and those flavored puffs which for the time being works. how quickly i've forgotten how difficult things become when your little one hits the 8-12 month stage! the only thing that's keeping me going is the fact that although she's basically miserable, she still manages to put a smile on her face. her latest feat is crawling and she's getting pretty good at it. and when i say crawl, i mean olivia-style crawling which is her on her hands and knees, pulling her legs around with her arms. we have laminate flooring so the slipperyness of it makes it a lot easier for her to get around. today she managed to get from the living room to the main bathroom and even into emma's room. time to start baby proofing!

welcome one and all.

why did i start a blog. well. you're gonna think this is a bit silly, but for the past couple of months, every time something cool or not cool happened, i wanted to write about it. not only did i think it would be handy for me to have a channel to express my thoughts but i thought it'd be neat to record milestones and memories now that my life has changed since having two children.

here i'll post the goingson about my family along with information i think is vital for moms (be it new or seasoned) like neat products or baby facts. i'm in no way a certified or licensed anything, just someone who likes to share the wealth!

enjoy =)