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BREASTFEEDING

22 Women on What Breastfeeding Actually Feels Like

It can sometimes seem that those who breastfeed or who have tried breastfeeding fall into one of two categories only: those who love it and those who hate it. The reality is, a wide range of emotions revolve around breastfeeding and what mothers experience. For most mothers, there is both love and hate involved.

“Curious how others might put breastfeeding into words, I asked a bunch of women — some who breastfed decades ago, some currently nursing tiny babies — for their impressions. Their responses are generous, vivid, and varied; they mention pain and serenity, being bitten, liken the sensation to peeing, describe a sexual side effect, and more.”

This article shares the views on breastfeeding of women all across the board. Whether you have breastfed yourself, you will be soon, or even if you have not, you will appreciate the read in gaining a better understanding of a breastfeeding mom. [Read more here.]

 

 

6 Exclusive Breastfeeding Hacks To Make It Easier On Moms   `

Embrace breastfeeding is a hard decision for some moms, but to choose to exclusively breastfeeding is another level of dedication in many cases and sometimes easier said than done. For some moms, breastfeeding does sound like the convenient and easy choice, but for others, it does not so easily fit into their life. How do you lessen the burden and obstacles so you are not setting yourself up for failure when you choose to exclusively nurse?

“When you hear the word “hack,” you probably think of ways to cut your dinnertime prep in half, sneaky ways to tweak your workout to get the most out of your effort, or tricks for organizing your bathroom. But you might not be aware that there are lots of ways to “hack” your breastfeeding routine to make it as smooth and stress-free as possible too.” [Read more here.]

Image: pimentos/Fotolia

Image: pimentos/Fotolia

 

PREGNANCY

 

15 Morning Sickness Remedies  

If you have been fortunate enough to go through pregnancy and still not understand how real and rough morning sickness can be, consider yourself fortunate. While it may be the only kind of sickness where you can find a silver lining (you’re growing a baby!), it does not make it any less physically unpleasant.

“[N]early three-quarters of pregnant women have morning sickness at some point and to some degree during their pregnancy. It is more common in first pregnancies, but can also happen in subsequent pregnancies. The most common treatment for morning sickness is “suck it up, Buttercup” which is always nice advice to give along with eating leafy greens and deep breathing, when it isn’t you that’s suffering from it.”

If you are still having to work through the sickness, or keep up with other children, you may try any of these 15 remedies that have proven to bring some relief to other mothers.  [Read more here.]

pregnantchicken.com Triedandtruemorningoral...sicknessremediesandcures

 

Most Pregnant Women Aren’t Getting Adequate Nutrition, Research Finds 

It’s no secret that the American diet is not the healthiest one. One of the first things many women do upon finding out they are pregnant is begin researching what is and is not safe for them to consume during pregnancy. The reality is, if a person typically consumed what would be considered a healthy diet, very little if anything would need to change with pregnancy. Unfortunately, research is showing that most mothers are not getting the nutrition that is best for the pregnant body and growing baby.

“Researchers analyzed surveys from 7,511 newly pregnant women and evaluated their preconception diets based on the Healthy Eating Index-2010, which measures adherence to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations. Across all socioeconomic and racial groups, most women weren’t meeting the recommendations. When it came to limiting empty calories and getting the right amount of whole grains, fatty acids, and sodium, only 10 percent of women met the recommendations. Thirty-four percent of the calories the women consumed were from empty-calorie sources like sodas and sweets.”  [Read more here.]

 

MOTHERHOOD

 

How to Support Autism Awareness Month this April

If you didn’t wear your blue on April 2 for Autism Awareness Day don’t fret, because you have the rest of the month to make up for it. Like many causes, those most involved in spreading of awareness are those dealing with autism on a daily basis; particularly parents of children with autism.

“Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. More than 3.5 million Americans currently live with ASD, and 1 in 68 children are born with a variation of it, so it’s likely you know, whether or not you’re aware of it, someone on the autism spectrum.”

Read more here to find out how you can help spread awareness this month.

 

 

There Is Nothing More Incredible Than A Tight Bond Between Two Siblings

Raising kids close in age is, without a doubt, an exhausting task. Regardless of whether the small age gap is intentional or not does not change the difficulty level of life with more than one baby/toddler in the house. However hard, though, the end result is fantastic, as you are a first-hand witness to the greatest of bonds between two individuals.

“When you have two kids who are joined at the hip, their relationship goes beyond normal sibling love. They protect and take care of one another. They genuinely want to make each other happy, and many times, they think of their sibling before they think of themselves.”

If you are fearful of the task of raising two-under-two, Irish twins, or any age gap that seems challenging, read the words of a mom who has been there and find comfort in knowing you are giving those children a gift in each other. [Read more here.]

scarymommy.com sibling-bond

Image: Pressmaster / Shutterstock

 

INFANTS

 

23 Ways to Soothe a Fussy Newborn 

Your baby is bound to cry and even the very best babies will experience fussy periods where a parent feels at a loss on how to help soothe the wee thing.

“As you will inevitably learn, babies cry a lot. Sometimes, the reason is obvious: Baby is hungry, wet, or tired, and wants you to address her needs. Other times, getting the tears to stop is not such a simple process. That’s why figuring out how to soothe and calm a baby when nothing else seems to do the trick is so important.”

This video/article shares several tactics to try that may just be the magic to bring peace to your little one. [Read more here.]

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5 Common Digestive Problems In Infants

New moms can especially become stressed over the things that seem to be stressful for their infants. Why wouldn’t you be? The babies have no way of communicating their discomfort and pain and problems other than crying. Oftentimes it is digestive issues causing a baby’s fussing. Things coming out one end or the other (or lack thereof) can raise red flags for a mother.

“If you are worried about your infant digestive problems, you are not alone. Most new parents obsess about their newborn’s spit up, poopy diapers, and what not! Unfortunately, the digestive problems in babies is not easy to find out as your little one cannot tell you what’s bothering her.”

This article dives into common issues, what can be done about them, and when it’s best to see a doctor. [Reflux, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, feeding intolerances and colic] [Read more here.]

TODDLERS

 

How to Recognize Signs of Autism in Toddlers 

April is Autism Awareness Month and in addition to simply showing support to the people in your life who live with autism–personally or as parents/siblings–you can also make an effort to educate yourself more on the condition. It will not only help you more easily interact with those who are autistic on any level, but it will help you recognize signs of autism. As a parent it is even more important to understand what to look for.

“The signs of autism are best to be discovered during the child’s first few years of life, in order to best treat and plan.[…]Children with autism may develop slower than normal children of the same age. Autistic children are also more vulnerable to some illnesses and conditions, such as allergies, respiratory insufficiency, digestive disorders and so on.”

This article shares signs to look for in your own children or those close to you in order to help that child sooner rather than later. [Read more here.]

 

 

How to Install a Convertible Car Seat: Forward-facing

Car seats can be intimidating. Obviously, car safety is a concern of every parents. It’s not uncommon for the car seat to be one of a parent’s biggest investments when preparing for a new baby. However, the importance of safety does not end  simply with a quality purchase or even after the first year. While it used to be that kids were out of car seats in no time, today children use them for several years and even remain in boosters once reaching the ages of seven or eight.

The use of them at all ages is great, but a car seat is only as good as it is used properly. Buckling the child is a specific process and installing a seat has particulars. This video should help you better understand exactly what you are doing when adding a front-facing convertible car seat.

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