breastfeeding barbie

BREASTFEEDING

Woman creates breastfeeding Barbie doll to battle stigma

Betty Strachan, a 28-year-old Australian mother of two, recently decided she had had enough of the stigma around breastfeeding, but her reaction was not a to organize a latch-on event or a public breastfeeding sit-in. She didn’t take to social media to rally mother support. She created a Barbie doll.

“Growing up, it always struck me as odd that there wasn’t as much diversity in the doll world as there could or should be. Not every child is born with blonde hair and blue eyes. Some have freckles, some have gaps in their teeth,” she said. “I noticed that the lack of diversity could be potentially damaging psychologically. A girl with brown skin and dark eyes may look at a light skinned doll and wonder why it’s classed as beautiful and she is not.”

Her latest doll is called the “Mamas Worldwide Barbie” and a trial run on her Etsy shop sold out in no time. [Read more here.]

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Breastfeeding helps moms, too

All mothers and mothers-to-be hear “breast is best”. We are all told the benefits breastfeeding has for our children and the importance in trying to nurse, but many mothers may not be aware of the benefits breastfeeding has for the mother herself.

“Breast-feeding has a greater impact on women’s health than previously appreciated,” said lead author Dr. Melissa Bartick, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “The results should lead to policies that help support women to breast-feed longer and help exclusive breast-feeding, such as paid family leave, workplace support and evidence-based maternity practices around infant feeding.” [Read more here.]

PREGNANCY

 

Showing Off Your Bump – Has It Always Been The Norm?

Take a look back and (if can even find any pictures of your mother when she was carrying you) you might notice loose and flowy clothing were the norm. Look back further and the trend is still that. It seems it has only been in the recent decades that tighter fitting maternity clothes have become the trend.

“Looking back at the bygone days, or from what my mother or grandmother told us, it appeared that women shielded away from making their bumps look any dramatic. Skin tight or body hugging clothes were not a common sight, let alone wearing them during pregnancy. Loose and overflowing garments appeared to be the ‘decent’ way to be clad. So during pregnancy, no woman would want to show off her bump. Pregnancy was associated with a divine phenomenon. That was the cultural outlook.”

The idea of showing off your bump and being publicly proud of your pregnancy is a more modern trend in society. The clothing is just one aspect. Today we compare bump sizes, have special announcement parties and events, and photoshoots. Showing off the bare belly bump is even embraced. [Read more here.]

 

BabyCenter reveals the most popular baby names of 2016

The year is winding down and even though there are still babies to be born, BabyCenter has released the list of most popular names in 2016. Is your little one on the list? Surprisingly, the top five have hardly changed since 2015! Apparently, parents today know what they like! [See the top 100 of 2016 here.]

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MOTHERHOOD

 

The 11 Most Sought After Holiday Toys Of 2016

Black Friday has come and gone and therefore the official rush for holiday shopping is underway. As a parent, you might already know the hot item toys that are flying off the shelves this year–even if they are not on your child’s list. On the other hand, maybe you think that obscure item your kid keeps talking about needing to have is strange and you will just do a quick search on Amazon to find it, when the reality is, it’s the most popular toy out there right now and getting your hands on it will result in Jingle All The Way type ruckus. Check this list to see which of these 11 toys are your kids want this year and start strategizing your plan.

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How My Daughter’s ‘Picky Eating’ Was Finally Diagnosed as an Eating Disorder

We are becoming more and more aware of the high level of food allergies and eating disorders in our society. There was a time when we wrote off all reactions as pickiness or just random reactions, but doctors are taking closer looks into why and how we react. In the case of Stephanie Elliot, her daughter was nearly eight before she finally realized it was not pickiness causing a diet problem. It was an actual eating disorder: avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder — or ARFID.

“Unlike anorexia or bulimia, ARFID is not image-based or caused by a self-esteem issue. ARFID, in simple terms, is the extreme fear of trying new foods. I have learned that sometimes ARFID begins at a very young age from a food trauma, when a child has a bad feeding experience, or when he or she chokes on a food. People with ARFID may gag or vomit if they are forced to eat a food they are not comfortable with, or they will simply refuse foods they think are not safe to eat. And that was such the case for our daughter, who is now 17. ” [Read more here.]

INFANTS

 

4 Exercises To Help Baby Get Stronger 

You may be aware that ‘tummy time’ is an important part of your baby’s earliest growth and development, but what about weightlifting? Have you added that to your daily routine with the tot? Believe it or not, there is a style of ‘weight lifting’ that will help your baby–as well as bicycling and sit-ups.

“She’ll need strong muscles to hold up her head, roll over, sit up, crawl, and eventually walk. In addition, physical activity pays off in the form of more restful sleep, less fussiness, and a happy infant who is eager to play and learn, says Meena Chintapalli, M.D., a pediatrician in San Antonio.” [Read more here.]

 

100 Great Gifts Ideas for Babies Under One

What do you buy for a baby that is not even going to remember this Christmas? More than likely, the baby does not need a lot if anything, but shopping for a baby can be pretty fun. In fact, it can be kind of a rabbit hole once you start looking. Check out this list for some unique ideas that will stand out for baby. pregnantchicken-com-100_gifts

 

 

TODDLERS

 

Easy Gingerbread Ornaments for Preschoolers 

The holiday season with toddlers is not complete without diving into messy and sentimental crafts that you will pull out for every Christmas moving forward, setting them out for display despite how ugly or fallen apart they become. So here’s one to add to your to-do list this December: gingerbread ornaments. [Read how here.]

 

Why I’m Grateful to Have Toddlers During the Holiday Season

Toddlers in the Christmas season… There can be a wide range of feelings on that topic. If you are a lover of the holidays, you may feel kiddos cramp your style, but maybe, just maybe, you have found the ability to allow the spastic-ness of this phase of life to make the holidays that much better. After all, being a parent of toddlers is a season of life in and of itself that will also pass eventually.

“My tots are fascinated by colorful gift wrap, sticky bows, and shatterproof ornaments — and I’m trying to soak in every minute of their appreciating the “little things” without wanting or expecting anything in return. Their innocence and disregard for holiday commercialism definitely makes me appreciate the season even more.”

If you are having trouble seeing the sparkle this holiday season because your kids seem to be trampling on all of the tradition you have worked hard to build, try gaining some perspective with this read.

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