Formula is Not the Devil

There is so much pressure to breastfeed in the US. There was a time when babies were put on formula right away and no body breastfed. This practice was as recent as the 1980's. I am a formula fed baby and I turned out just fine.
Yet, now, new mothers are expected to breastfeed. Some mothers have no interest in breastfeeding, but are eventually guilt tripped into doing it. Those who choose to formula feed their babies are made to feel as poor mothers, even by healthcare providers.
This is inexcusable.
New mothers have enough to deal with without being told their a bad mother for not breastfeeding. There are reasons that some babies need to be formula fed. These reasons can be anything from lack of milk production to infection or even the baby himself does not latch onto the breast. It is not the mother's fault that she cannot breastfeed her child. Sometimes, mothers need to be told it's okay to use formula some or even all of the time.
It's okay.
There is debate around if formula fed babies are more likely to be victims of obesity. However, according to the FDA formula actually has less fat than breast milk. Another debate is that formula does not and cannot replace the nutrients that breast milk has. Again, that's not true. The FDA regulates infant formula and no matter what brand is chosen, all have the needed vitamins and nutrients along with the right amount of fat that a growing baby needs.
It is said that breastfed babies are less likely to die of SIDS and are less likely to have diarrhea, get colds and ear infections. The fact is, no one really knows what causes SIDS and if your child is going to get ear infections, they're going to get them. Breastfed or not.
So, don't despair formula feeding moms! Breastfeeding is hard and it's easy to give up. Ignore the formula hate sites. You are not hurting your child by formula feeding. It's okay to give them formula. It's okay.
More on Formula vs. Breast milk : http://www.babble.com/baby/breastfeeding-vs-bottle-feeding-why-baby-formula-is-not-so-bad/

Sassy Baby Toys - Best. Things. Ever.

As new mothers, we search for toys that are both stimulating and somehow beneficial to our children. I had gone through many and my son has seemed moderately interested in some of them, but they never seemed to entertain him for long.
It wasn't until my sister-in-law brought some Sassy toys for him on a visit. Best. Toys. Ever. It doesn't seem to matter which toy I choose for my son, he loves them all. And there is such a variety to choose from for many different age levels.
They use contrasting colors and textures that aid development. At first glance they look almost dull since most of them are black and white. But its the contrast of the colors that stimulate our children. They also use ridges, contact paper and mirrors to help develop eye sight and touch. My son just loves them!

When in doubt, I suggest buying these wonderful toys for any baby gift. They're available at Target, Babies-R-Us or any other store that sells baby items. If you do, your gift will be set aside from the classic onesie present and will be used long after they have outgrown all the clothes that were also gifted to the mother or mother-to-be.
Sassy baby toys all the way!

Getting Your Body Back After Pregnancy

There is so much pressure in our society to be Barbie skinny. Elementary School aged girls are being hospitalized with eating disorders. Most girls become "calorie obsessed"at a very young age - far too young to have to worry about how they look and how much they weigh.
So, where does that leave us? The full grown women with the full grown metabolisms that are hanging onto the weight gained during pregnancy. Along with adjusting to all the new and challenging things that come with being a new mom we have to admit to ourselves that we may have given into one too many cravings. The proof of that is in our hips, stomachs and tushies.
Feeding this idea that we need to drop the extra pounds fast are, of course, the dreaded stories that people feel compelled to share about someone they know that snapped back into a size 0 two weeks after they gave birth. And that's not even mentioning all the celebs that seem even thinner than their pre-pregancy weight when they leave the hospital.
The fact is ladies, our bodies go through such a drastic transformation while we're pregnant. Things move around and stretch and shrink. The reason you don't recognize your body after labor is because it's not the same as it was before. It never will be again. You have brought a new life into this world. Of course you'll have a few battle scars.
Things to consider are if you are really dissatisfied with your bodies then do something about it. There are a few really simple, really easy things that you can do as soon as your doctor has cleared you for exercise.
Number One: Walk, walk walk. Walking is a good way to start getting your body used to working out again (or ever, if you never had to workout like me). Go to the park and walk with the stroller. It'll be good for you and Baby. If there aren't any parks nearby, start with around your block. If anything, you learn your neighborhood.

Number Two: Wear your little one in a baby carrier like an Ergo or Moby. Wearing them will force your body to work harder to support the extra weight - especially your core. It's good to sooth a fussy baby as well. If you're doing housework, stick Baby in the carrier and go for it. He'll get a good nap in and you'll get everything done uninterrupted.
Number Three: Kick the junk. Nothing will change if you eat chips and ho-hos all day long. Try keeping healthy alternatives in the house. Quick, healthy snacks that are easy to prepare will be just as satisfying as the junk you ate before, if not more so since healthy snacks will keep you full longer and make you feel better.
Number Four: Join a gym. The YMCA has a daycare in the facility that cares for your child while you work out. Most YMCAs have a full gym and group classes that can help you get into shape. If nothing else, it helps you get out of the house a few times a week and socializes your baby, too!
Number Five: Tone. A lot of the new found flabbiness on your body is not due to fat, but to muscles being unused throughout your pregnancy. Lift weights, do crunches, all the dreaded things that go along with working out. But, once you do it, and see results, you'll be happy that you did.

Build a routine. Whatever you choose to do, be consistent. Don't stop what you're doing once you start seeing results. Good health takes maintenance. Don't stop once you've reached where you want to be and undo all that wonderful work you did. Remember, it took nine months to get your body where it was after you gave birth and it may take that long or even longer to get it back.
For more info: http://www.babymed.com/postpartum/how-get-your-body-back-shape-after-pregnancy-12-steps
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The Plight of Being a House Wife

The stay-at-home-mom. It's what every new mother hopes to be but only a small few actually get that opportunity. The cost of living, especially in Seattle, is so high that most families need two incomes to make ends meet. The few of us that actually get to work from home or solely take care of our children are viewed as lucky - and we are! But, don't think for a minute that we are not working.
Taking care of an infant is a full time job that comes with many hardships. It's an ever changing atmosphere governed by your baby's mood. For those, like me, who have a job as well that is done from home, work on some days is impossible to complete.
Yet, we trudge on. We clean the house, make dinner, do the laundry all on a stop-and-go basis based on how your child is that day. It's easy to get frustrated and that's okay! Sometimes, Baby just wants to fuss. Go for a walk with him in a baby carrier. Chances are that he's tired, but too tired to nap. A walk will be a good breather for both of you.
Still, after working for decades and being on equal ground with your partner as far as bring in the dough is concerned, the social dynamic has shifted. I find that I have lifted my head out of the sand to realize that my friends are far away and more difficult to reach.
I know that this is not true. Especially since most of my friends are new stay at home moms themselves. It's that we are so wrapped up in our newborns that when they become a little self sufficient and we have a second to reflect on our surroundings we realize that we have been removed from the social world for months.
It's normal to crave adult contact. You don't always realize that you do crave some adult conversation. Go out for a coffee with a friend, or go to the park for a play date, even if your child is too small to enjoy the park. He will like being outside and looking at the surroundings and other kids.
Being a stay-at-home-mom and working from home takes up a lot of your time, but at the same time, have lots of free time as well. Find hobbies to do to keep yourself busy. I'm not saying sit in your rocking chair on the porch and knit sweaters, that's not for everyone. But, find something to help you keep your adult identity.
Before I left the work force (actually almost as soon as my work found out I was pregnant) they addressed me as "Mama" which I was soon to be. But, it saddened me that I was no longer considered anything but a mother. I was to be a mother, but I saw it as just an added layer of my current identity. Remember! You are an onion with many diverse and colorful layers. You are a mom AND everything else you want to be.
More on being a stay-at-home-mom:

http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/07/what-do-you-do-a-stay-at-home-mothers-most-dreaded-question/277939/

Co-sleeping - Yay or Nay?

There is a lot of controversy about co-sleeping in the US. That is to say, it's frowned upon to have a family bed. Yet, who is it hurting really? Some infants just will not sleep in a crib or even a pack-n-play or co-sleeper that attaches to the side of the bed. Some babies need the contact of their parents in order to get to sleep.
Now, I'm not saying that a child should sleep in their parents' bed until they're thirty. But, I don't see the harm in sharing a bed until they are old enough to sleep on their own. Some people say that its the parents' job to teach their child to sleep on their own, yet the "cry out" method is now frown upon as well.
Which is worse? Sleeping with your child until he's ready to sleep on his own or having him cry for hours on end in a room all alone.
It seems that the phobia of a family bed only exists in the US. There are several other countries - I dare say MOST countries, that co-sleeping is expected and totally normal.
As long as co-sleeping is done safely there should be no issue with it. If anything, it helps the baby by encouraging breastfeeding and increases bonding time (especially if one or both parents have returned to work and are not around the baby all day).
Of course, the main fear that parents have about co-sleeping is SIDS. If you follow the same sleeping instructions you do with a crib sleeper then the risk is just as low. For more info on safe co-sleeping click here: http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/cosleeping.html# 
What it comes down to is that you know your child best. Don't let yourself be bullied into doing something that is not right for your child. After all, it's true what they say. Mommy knows best.

The Truth About Breastfeeding

The most common thing that women are told about childbirth and early childrearing is that it's all about INSTINCT. Unsuspecting new mothers are led to believe that motherly instincts will kick in like a super power and they will automatically know how to care for a newborn.
This is simply not true.
After nine months of making a person, you give birth. There is so much hype, at least in my case, about the birth, but not what comes after it. People are full of advise leading up to the birth, but when you ask about how to care for the little person that you've just brought into the world those worries and concerns are waved aside and you're told, "Oh, you're instincts will take over for that."
Breastfeeding is one and I feel the most important thing that's waved aside. The fact is - breastfeeding is really, really hard! Not only is the mother learning how to efficiently feed their new child, but the baby is learning as well. Then when you add sleep deprivation, self consciousness of your new body, worry over maintaining your relationship with your partner, breastfeeding can become very overwhelming.
There are other issues with breastfeeding besides just feeding your child. These things are, engorgement, lack of milk supply, overproduction of milk, infections, clogged ducts, the list is endless.  Mothers worry every day if their child is getting enough milk, if their milk is depleting, if the appearance of their new breasts are normal and on and on. The answer is YES!
My son is four months old and I feel like we really haven't got the hang of breastfeeding until last month. Only now do I feel confident that everything is as it should be. Only now do I feel like my son's latch is perfect and he's getting what he needs.
Instincts indeed.
There are many places worried mothers can go for lactational help. Of course, if you have worries, always consult your pediatrician or OBGYN. There are other local places as well. The hospital you gave birth at is a good start. They have lactation specialists that are there to help you. The La Leche League is another plethora of information.
Another thing to do is form a support group with other breastfeeding mothers. Swap information, concerns and products. Use social media like Facebook to keep in touch with each other. It helps to hear what other mothers are going through. You'll be shocked to find that other moms are going through the same exact thing as you.
Lastly, research, research, research. The internet if full of helpful sites that specialize in childrearing - www.parents.com and www.babycenter.com, just to name a few.
Remember, you are not alone. Millions of mothers struggle with breastfeeding to the point that it feels more like hand to hand combat than a wonderful bonding experience. But don't give up! The best thing you can do for your little one is keep at it. You'll both get the hang of it. I promise.