BREASTFEEDING
Mom’s Raw Postpartum Photo Highlights Lesser-Known Feeding Method
The difficulties in breastfeeding are felt by many mothers right from the get-go when babies refuse to latch and feed properly. This commonly results in a frustrated mother who throws in the towel. However, a recent Instagram post by Carriage House Birthing showed new mom and doula Rebecca McKeever using a syringe to feed her newborn daughter, a feeding method rarely advised to struggling mothers.
“A lactation consultant came to our hospital room to ask if we needed help,” McKeever told Huffington Post. “She saw that I was expressing colostrum but that Andromeda wasn’t latching, so she brought in little cups and syringes so we could get some food in her. I expressed some colostrum into a cup, then put it into the syringe and fed her little drops at a time.”
The method is fairly successful for early feeding of newborns, but many mothers are not given the tactic unless a lactation consultant is involved. [Read more here.]
Mom who inspired many by breastfeeding during ALS battle dies
Amanda Bernier, a mother who inspired many, particularly in the world of breastfeeding, has passed away. The former firefighter mom was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS,) in 2014, two weeks after finding out she was pregnant with her daughter. The diagnosis did not only give an uncertain future for herself, but her unborn child as well. Despite losing the ability to move, after delivering her daughter at 39-week gestation, she breastfed and images of the feat went viral.
This past week, Bernier passed away, but she met the goal of seeing her daughter’s first birthday and even beyond. [Read more here.]
PREGNANCY
9 Unimaginable Ways Your Body Could Swell During Pregnancy
Pregnancy symptoms may vary, but a mother is bound to experience changes in her body, one of which can be swelling. If you find that even your shoes are having trouble fitting or you ankles are turning into cankles, know swelling in these areas is very common for pregnancy. But did you know it is also possible for your lips, breasts, nose, vagina and more to swell? [Read more here.]
25 New Moms Describe What It Really Feels Like To Meet Your Baby For The First Time
No matter what type of delivery you have, it is likely somewhere you’ve seen a rendition of it in pop-culture through movies and TV shows; or you’ve read things or heard things from friends that paint a particular picture of the experience. The reality is, there is a lot about the experience most movies don’t show and most moms don’t share when congratulating you on your bun in the oven. But here is an opportunity to hear from 25 new moms on some of their initial reactions and thoughts on meeting their baby. [Read more here.]
MOTHERHOOD
From Skeptic To Supporter. My Husband’s Journey…
Heading into motherhood can be overwhelming in many ways, but the nine month journey of pregnancy is part of what prepares you. You are already regularly thinking about what is best for the baby and taking care of the munchkin in everything you do. But fathers do not experience the maternity journey. They may do their best to support you and help prepare, but it is likely that the reality of parenthood will not be seen and felt until the little babe arrives for him to physically see and hold. Many mothers wonder or worry how their partner will adjust after baby.
The Milk Meg recently had her husband guest post on her blog about his perspective of parenthood, beginning with the first child and how his perspective on children and parenthood has evolved.
“Meg and I were fairly intuitive with what to do and had some idea how we would like to best take care of the little cone head staring back at us. There were some things that I hadn’t thought about and my opinions and feelings have definitely changed over time. Co-sleeping and breastfeeding to natural term are two things that now, having three children, I can see the benefit of both and what suited our situation and lifestyle. Yet I did not always feel so open to the idea of sharing our bed and having Meg breastfeed them into toddlerhood.” [Read more here.]
35 Babies In Halloween Costumes Who Actually Couldn’t Be Cuter
If there is no other reason to love Halloween, it’s the adorably creative costumes for babies and toddlers. It could be easy to scroll through pictures of precious ideas for hours and if you actually have little ones, narrowing down your child’s costume to only one choice can be tough! We will try to save you some time by supplying just this one list of 35 great ideas. Surely one of these will be the perfect fit for the little love in your life. [Read more here.]
INFANTS
9 SIDS Risks You May Not Be Aware Of
The terrifying risk of SIDS may be one of the biggest fears for a mom–especially a first-time mom. Since there is no one cause for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, a parent has to do their best to fend off all possibilities for the cause.
“According to the National Sleep Foundation, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is defined as the sudden death of an infant under age one, whose cause cannot be determined even after an autopsy has been conducted. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that in 2014, approximately 1,500 infants died of SIDS in this country. One of the scariest things about SIDS is that the infants it affects are often deemed relatively healthy before their untimely death.”
Some reasons are more well known, like sleep position and placement, while there are some that many parents have never considered. This article includes some of those lesser-known reasons to be aware of with your own baby. [Read more here.]
How to Maximize Skin-to-Skin Time with Baby (Kangaroo Care)
Skin-to-skin care with newborns, also known as Kangaroo Care, is becoming more widely pushed by experts and medical professionals for the many benefits it provides infants. It is said to help with breastfeeding, bonding, brain development, regulating temperature and stress, decreasing chances of postpartum depression and more.
“Skin-to-skin care is most important right after birth, if at all possible. Ann-Marie Widstrom, PhD, RN, MTD, a Swedish nurse-midwife, began to document her observations of babies who were placed skin to skin immediately after birth. She found that infants followed a set of predictable behaviors.”
Beyond the immediate use of skin-to-skin after birth, this article shares the benefits of continuing Kangaroo Care in the coming days and weeks and months. There are also benefits specific to following a Caesarean and even reason for dad to have skin-to-skin time with the babe. [Read more here.]
TODDLERS
Dad’s Experiment Gives Fascinating Look At How Toddlers See The World
A photographer father had the courage to give his 19-month-old son free reign with his G2 Canon camera and ended up surprised by the results. One might expect a lot of blurry closeups of unidentifiable objects and angles, but instead little Stan gave his parents a glimpse of life through his eyes.
“He managed to capture the floor at his feet, the world at his eye level and what it looks like to him when he looks up at us,” Jones told The Huffington Post. [Read more and see photos here.]
©Timothy Jones http://www.jonesmrjones.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/jonesmrjones.co.uk
How to Get a Picky Eater to Eat
Toddler battles are one of the promises of raising children, but a parent quickly learns to pick and choose said battles–especially on the days where everything said and offered derive fussing and whining. But when it comes to food and eating, a good (or at least decent) diet is something many parents really want for their children in order to provide the best path for good health. So how do you change the taste buds and opinions of a two-year-old’s picky ways?
In addition to this video, Mama Natural shares eight tips that worked for her when one of her kids became a picky eater. [Read more here.]
