BREASTFEEDING
Half-marathon mom pumps while performing
Anna Young took the title of multi-tasking mom to the next level when she pumped during her recent race. The half-marathon mom shared her accomplishment on the Occupy Breastfeeding Facebook page, thanking the community there as well as La Leche League for supporting and encouraging her to do the race five months post-partum.
“I thought signing up for a race would be a good way to commit myself to running more regularly, as well as an opportunity to share something I am passionate about with my daughter,” she said. [Read more here.]
Tandem breastfeeding mom opens up about PPD
Mother of twins, Maloo, opens up with BabyCenter.com about, not just the long struggle she experienced to have her twins at age 43, but her feelings of inadequacy and failing as a mother once the two babes arrived. Maloo felt it was important to share her own post-partum depression as too many mothers who suffer with PPD feel isolated and alone.
“No need to pretend it’s all okay, smooth and beautiful,” Maloo urges. “Ask the questions or don’t. Just BE there.” She adds this surprising advice, “Don’t wait for the invitation, you won’t get it. Just show up and say ‘I’m staying.’” [Read more here.]
PREGNANCY
Giving Birth and the C-Section Stigma
While there are those who may choose a C-section delivery for one reason or another, more often than not, the procedure happens by necessity. Sometimes it is even an emergency procedure. As if the judgement that a C-section can bring upon a mother isn’t enough, many mothers also deal with inner-turmoil and guilt over the lack of having been able to truly ‘give birth’ (vaginally) to their child. Jennie Brown, a mother, shares her personal experience of a C-section delivery and the pain it brought physically, mentally, and emotionally. Her extremely vulnerable post aims to make other mothers, who have similar feelings about a C-section experience, feel less alone and more proud of what they did for their child.
Is there a perfect pregnancy diet?
The short answer? No. There is no perfect pregnancy diet–at least not just one and only one that applies universally. All of the “rules” you hear about? Almost all of them having conditions and gray areas. The key is finding good nourishment for your body and the baby it is growing within. This article from Mama Natural dives into the common concepts about pregnancy diets and helps you determine what will work best for you. [Read more here.]
MOTHERHOOD
Are you getting the dose wrong with kids’ liquid medications?
A new study published in the journal of Pediatrics shows that four out of five parents make at least one dosing error when using either a cup or an oral syringe to give their child medicine. The study analyzed over 2,000 parents of children eight and under. More than 20 percent of parents got the dosage wrong by over double the listed dosage on the label.
“Parents should be aware that it is very easy to get confused when dosing medications for children,” study author, H. Shonna Yin, MD, MS, an associate professor of pediatrics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City told Parents.com “If they are not sure about how to give the right amount of medicine to their child, they should ask their doctor or health care provider for help.”
Is working from home a way to have it all?
Is Working from Home the right way to have it all? by workingmother
INFANTS
7 ways your baby is trying to tell you they have colic
Babies will cry. There is no getting around it. But some cry more than others. Sometimes the crying is stimulated by an obvious reason; other times, the reason is there but less obvious. Then there is colic. The problem with colic is there is no real solution other than being there for the baby until the tears pass (and trying not to cry yourself in the process). But how do you know your baby has colic? Check this list on some of the typical signs of colic in your infant.
6 everyday baby-bonding opportunities
Your baby is only a baby once! You already know this, but it can still be hard on a day-to-day, busy life basis to make yourself just stop and thoroughly soak up motherhood and moments of special bonding with your little one. This slideshow highlights six ways you can proactively bond with your baby. [See slides here.]
TODDLERS
The sacrifices all moms make for their children
Most moms can relate to the sacred hours of post-bedtime when time actually feels like *yours*. Bunmi Laditan, the mother behind Honest Toddler, shared a recent Facebook post about that moment all mothers have had, when the evening “me time” is interrupted by a child in need. Laditan’s personal story hit home to so many mothers and generated lots of viral love and support.
“Thank you for putting this into words,” one mom wrote. [Read more here.]
[Study] Background noise affects toddlers’ ability to learn language
A study published in Childhood Development revealed what is actually not too surprising results: children thrive on learning new concepts in a quiet environment and background noise can be disruptive in the learning process. Previous studies have supported this claim and the recent one looked specifically at language development and how background noise hinders it. Rita Brehl discusses the study on Motherhood.com and the ability to keep the television off or limited for the betterment of early child development. [Read more here.]
