There’s so much to consider when you’re having a baby, especially if it’s your first. You may have already decided to breastfeed, but perhaps your partner would like to help feed the baby, too. What do you do? You may want to choose a breast pump. If so, the questions in this checklist can help you decide which one. How often do you plan on breastfeeding? If you’re going to be a stay-at-home-mom, you can breastfeed at any time of the day or night. You may not need a breast pump at all except to express breast milk so your husband can feed the baby. A manual breast pump may be all you need.If you’re planning on going back to work, however, you may want something that won’t take as long when time is at a premium. Since there are electric breast pumps that can be used on both breasts at the same time, this option may be of interest to you. What can you afford? Not all insurance companies pay or assist in paying for breast pumps after you’ve had a baby. Higher end … [Read more...]
TweetBreastfeeding Diet: Foods to Avoid While Nursing
While you were pregnant you may have found yourself craving certain foods. Now that you’ve decided to breastfeed, you may also have found that not all foods are good for you or your newborn. When you consider your breastfeeding diet, do you know what foods to avoid or limit while nursing?Unfortunately the list of items to limit or avoid isn’t the same for every breastfeeding mother and child. Some babies don’t react to spicy foods whereas there are others that will be miserable whenever mom decides to eat something with extra spices.One way to learn about what is acceptable to your baby while you’re breastfeeding is to pay attention to how they react the day after you’ve eaten certain foods you’re not sure about. The baby may develop extremely painful gas cramps or be particularly fussy when you eat some foods. Pay attention to what you’re eating and then try to make a correlation between your diet and how your baby reacts. Common foods that moms have learned to … [Read more...]
TweetTotally New Moms: Sleepless and Lovin’ It
For weeks, you’ve gone to the bathroom three times every night, slept faithfully on your side instead of your back, and snacked in the wee hours of the morning. Making a baby is hard work, even when you’re trying to sleep. And once your prince or princess is born, the string of sleepless nights is just beginning.A forty-something friend has been trying unsuccessfully to have a baby for many years. Last week, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. When she talks about that one-week old miracle, she glows. Even though she’s sleep deprived and exhausted from nursing, she is radiant. So what’s the secret to being a totally new mom who is full of joy? 1. Relish the moment. When you’re looking at your tiny baby, whether it’s after a diaper change or as you’re feeding him or her, consider the words to this song “Miracle of the Moment” by five-time Grammy winner Steven Curtis Chapman:So breathe it in, breathe it out. Listen to your … [Read more...]
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