Family Friendly Green Volunteer Projects for the Holidays

I cannot believe it has been a month since I last posted!  Time goes by so fast but that is what happens when you are enjoying every moment being a home with your child! So many people ask me for recommendations on ways to give back during the holidays.  Here is a great post from Inhabitots.  Fun ways to give back with your family.  It is never too early to teach your children the meaning of sharing their heart and giving back to others.  Happy Holidays!

Family Friendly Green Volunteer Projects for the Holidays

Miami Valley Hospital Goes Green with Earth Mama Angel Baby

This is amazing news for Miami Valley Hospital and  Earth Mama Angel Baby®.  I can only hope that this will influence other hospitals to do the same especially in California!

Check out the article and video at Earth Mama Angel Baby at MVH.


Miami Valley Hospital Goes Green with Earth Mama Angel Baby

Breast Cancer and Organic Living from Stonyfield Farms

I am a huge fan of Stonyfield Farms and of Gary Hirshberg, the CEO.  I have been lucky enough to meet him and hear him speak and I feel he is as true as they come and that goes for his company as well.

His wife is a breast cancer survivor of 10 years and here is a new segment that Stonyfield is touching on called Organic Living.  It discusses the tie between eating non organic foods and breast cancer. This is a great tool on organic living for women.  There are some great tips and some yummy recipes.  Check it out!

Green Halloween Candy Options

Green Halloween Candy Options

Halloween is just around the corner and here are some fun options for candy for your little ghosts and goblins.  Yes, it is still sugar but at least it is not packed full of ingresdents you cannot spell or read.  You can always pass out some toothbrushes as well or perhaps mini Tom's of Maine toothpastes.
Enjoy!


Green Halloween Candy Options

Don't Be In The Dark about GE Food! You Are What You Eat!

Don't be in the dark about Genetically Modified food.  Take the time to educate yourself on what you are putting into your body. Especially if you have babies or children in your life, you should really think about what you are feeding them.  It is ridiculous that the US is one of the few countries that does not label their food for GE.  Please support that cause at www.justlabelit.org.

2011 Costume Swap

While my little pumpkin is only 14 months, we are excited about Halloween this year.  I think she is going to be a bird watcher since she loves birds. While her costume is pretty simple, she has many Halloweens ahead of her and costumes to come.  I am sure every parent can relate to running out last minute to find a Halloween costume or paying a high price for the perfect outfit for Halloween.  That is why the annual costume swap by GreenHalloween.com is so amazing!

It can be as simple as getting together with a few neighbors or as large as a citywide event.

 Costume swaps not only mean less resources are used to make new product, it also means less packaging, less transportation of the product and less waste (from products being trashed as they sadly often are!).


Swapping half the costumes kids wear at Halloween would reduce annual landfill waste by 6, 250 tons!

Swaps are also a lot of fun and can be a great way to kick off the Green Halloween� season. Check out some tips below on how to throw your own costume swap.


Tips on How To Organize a Costume Swap

Wonderful Sponsors of the 2011 Costume Swap are Green Halloween, Swap.com, Stretch Island Fruit and Kiwi Magazine.

Boo! It's Green Halloween!

Green Halloween®
The “eek-o-friendly” revolution

Who says Halloween has to be unhealthy? And who says healthy can‘t be fun? Green Halloween® is about making Halloween happy and healthy and about creating community traditions we can all be proud of.

What is Green Halloween?
Green Halloween® is a non-profit, grassroots initiative striving to create healthier, eco-friendlier holidays– starting with Halloween. Launched in Seattle in 2007 by a mother of two, the nationwide movement, now a program of EcoMom Alliance, is all about educating and inspiring communities by showing how easy, affordable, and fun it can be to factor our earth and our health into our daily choices.
To read all about Green Halloween and find fun events near you, visit GreenHalloween.org. You can learn how to get involved locally, sign up for the super nifty newsletter, and get fab DIY costume ideas, recipes, upcycled décor how-to‘s and more. There‘s even a trick-or-treat bag design contest for kids!
So forget orange and black. With upcoming events in cities across the U.S., this community initiative is adding much-needed green to Halloween. It‘s a scream!

Join Green Halloween on Facebook

California Bans BPA in Baby Bottles

While this took way longer then it should have, it is great to see CA stepping it up.  Now, BPA just needs to be banned in everything!  Did you know that it is in your canned foods like canned beans or diced tomatoes?  The only brand that makes BPA Free is Eden Foods, you pay 1.00 more but it is worth it!

California Bans BPA in Baby Bottles

Circumcision, is it right or wrong?

Jena Troutman-New York Times Article

Lately, there has been a lot of discussion on circumcision.  NPR was discussing how there are various measures trying to get on the ballot to ban circumcision in Santa Monica and San Francisco.  However, there are also many republicans trying to get a measure on the ballot requiring parents to circumcise their baby boys.

While I am against circumcision and feel it is an old tradition that offers very misleading health information to new parents, I do not feel there should be a law for or against it.  Ideally, it would be the little boys decision but we know that is not a likely option.

Many assume that the circumcision is beneficial, has no damaging effects and is important in a boy's personal cleanliness. However, studies are showing that none of these assumptions are necessarily true.

Here is an article on the New York Times about the measures for ballot and as always, here are some great articles from the always trusted Mothering Magazine.  My advice is to always do your research before you make big health decisions about your baby.

The New York Times-Circumcision

The New York Times-Article two

Mothering Magazine

The Thrifty Mama

If you are a stay at home mama or any kind of mama, you should check out "The Thrifty Mama".  She has the best email newsletter and website for all kinds of thrifty deals from your local weekly store ads to free book downloads for your iPhone to codes for free eyeglasses.

I am amazed at the wealth of information she puts together in one amazing email.  Check it out, you will not be disappointed.  Plus, there is a great section on natural and organic and fun recipes for "DIY".

The Thrifty Mama

Lady Gaga Designs Baby Clothes

I know this is not really about the natural mama world but who does not love a little Gaga. While I do not want my baby in a meat dress, you have to appreciate the humor and brilliance of Lady Gaga!

Check out this sketch from Jimmy Kimmel

Lady Gaga Designs Baby Clothes

Watch it on You Tube, Lady Gaga

The Milk Truck has been funded!!

I am so happy to say that the Milk Truck project has been funded!

I am proud that I helped make that happen with my donation and will be receiving my awesome Milk Truck t-shirt soon!

Check out the project at The Milk Truck.

Extreme High Levels of Arsenic Found in Mott's Apple Juice

Should arsenic be in apple juice?  One more reason to consider organic when you make your purchase. Of course, who needs juice!! There is so much sugar in it anyway.  Stick with water.

Extreme High Levels of Arsenic Found in Mott's-Inhabitots

Boobie Palooza and World Breastfeeding week-August 7th

How awesome does "Boobie Palooza" sound?!  It is a fun event where you get pampered for breastfeeding.  In order to create awareness for Breastfeeding week, this great event happens in Southern California on August 7th.
There are massage stations, lactation consultants,  a sling clinic, expert panel and sweet swag bags!

I will not be able to attend since I am throwing a baby shower (ironic).  I hope some of you go and tell me all about it.

Boobie Palooza

Milk Truck Mobile Bus Project-Support It On KickStarter!

Calling all breastfeeding mamas!!! This is an amazing story of using art to create awareness of breastfeeding rights in public.  I encourage you to check it out and even if you only support $1 dollar toward the cause, it can make a difference. 


Milk Truck Mobile Breastfeeding Unit Calls Attention to Moms Right to Breastfeed in Public

 Go here to support this project on kickstarter.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jillmiller/the-milk-truck

Nursing Strikes! Are they real?

If you can picture my little Tallulah with a picket sign saying "No breastfeeding, I am on strike", it seems so silly but in reality, it did happen.

A couple days ago, she did not want to breastfeed.  The first day, I figured it was just random, then she did it for a second day.  I thought it was weird that she would be weaning herself especially this early.  I started to do a little research and thanks to the trusty mothering.com community and many other sites, I realized Tallulah was on a nursing strike.  Babies are super cleaver!!  Tallulah is almost a year old but just got her first tooth and her second one is coming in. During feeding, she likes to try and bit every once and awhile.  Last week, she bite me pretty hard and I raised my voice at her and said "no biting" and she got very upset. After that, she would try to bit me every once and awhile and I would tell her "no biting", in a stern voice.  Then the strike began.

As I did my research, I found that babies will strike often if they are teething or something has upset them during feeding.  My situation with the "no biting", tends to be common and I did not handle it the best way.  Instead, I should have removed her and set her down, letting her know that it "hurts mama" and not let her back on, if she continues to bite.  So how do you end the strike?  With lots of love, a little skin to skin and reassurance that it is ok.  Tallulah did start breastfeeding again and would test me with a soft bite and I would let her know in a calm voice that it was not ok to bite mama and it has been working ever since.

I felt such a sense of relief!! It could not believe Tallulah was just ready to stop feeding all together.  Some mamas like when this happens so they have a reason to stop feeding but not this mama!  I want to go as long as I can because it is so good for her long term health.

Anyway, nursing strikes are real! You heard it from this natural mama!

What are you putting on your body?

Hi everyone,
I wanted to share this site with you since someone was recently asking me about it. It is one of my favorite sites to learn more about how toxic some of your "natural" products are.  When we had Tallulah, we really paid attention because we found that some of the products we had on hand like Burt's Bees and Weleda were not as pure as we thought.

Thank goodness, our favorite brand, Earth Mama Angel Baby was!! Also, California Baby ranked very well.

Check it out!

You'll be surprised to find that even "healthy" products have agents linked to cause cancer. spend 5 minutes and check what your putting in and on your body. it's a non-profit site. I am sometimes skeptical of these things, but it's quite thorough.

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

One of my all time favorite brands is coming to Target!!

http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/

Earth Mama Angel Baby is now at select Target Stores!! Please support them and purchase them at your local Target.  I am in love with their butt balm and used their nipple butter so much when I was breast feeding.  The butt balm can be used for so many things like diaper rash, cuts and scrapes and burns. Simply the best!

If you have never checked them out, please do so. Also they have the best FREE BIRTH PLAN.  I used it for my first birth and will use it again!

Best Eco Sand Toys for the Summer

www.greentoys.com

 

Once again, here is an article from my favorite site, Inhabitots.  It is a great review of eco friendly toys for the beach and pool.  We have the Green Toys, sand bucket and we love it.  I have given it as a gift many times prior to being a mama.  My favorite thing about it, besides that it is eco friendly, is how durable it is.  You get what you pay for!  Those toxic 99 cent plastic buckets, will not last you a summer!

Check it out!

Best Eco Friendly Toys for the Beach and Pool

The Zoo or not the Zoo? That is the question.

Jane Goodall MiYim Collection

Living in San Diego, we are surrounded by many tourist attractions that include animals like the San Diego Zoo, the Wild Animal Park and Sea World.  My husband and I have been vegetarians for the last 5 years.  A key reason we became vegetarians was due to the treatment of animals along with the huge environmental impact of meat.  We are raising our 11 month old vegetarian and we are always thinking about the day when someone will want to take her to the zoo and how we will handle it.  We are raising our daughter to understand the important of how animals should be treated ethnically and with love and compassion and that they should be respected like all creatures on earth. Obviously, places like zoos can often contradict these views.

I just came across this great article on Inhabitots.  Sometimes, we think, we will consider going to an open space zoo like the Wild Animal Park so our daughter can see animals in the wild but it will be a hard decision when the time comes.  For now, we can just raise her with the understanding that all creatures on earth should be treated with respect and love and if she asks to go to the zoo, we will explain to her what a zoo is and then she can make the decision if she wants to attend.

Read this article!  It is great and I really value the statement from Jane Goodall since she is one of my idols.  Also check out her partnership with MiYim.  I love this brand!

Visiting the Zoo, an ethical dilemma

Jane Goodall MiYim Collection

I guess it had to happen eventually!

The day my daughter turned 11 months old, I got my period.  It was such an emotional day because she was not far from a year, she was walking everywhere and even though I am still breastfeeding, getting my period meant that my little baby was getting older!  It is so hard to not have a period for almost two years and then to welcome it back with open arms.  Of course, the good thing is that in order to have another baby, I need that period so there lies the positive!

Of course, I am so thankful that I am still breastfeeding and producing lots of milk.  I hope to do it for two years, of course another baby is not that far away so we will see.

Just another part of the natural mommy world.


Lots of love.

Do not be gross!! Wash your hands!

It amazes me how many people do not wash their hands especially after going to the bathroom.  Or those people that only wash their hands in public restrooms but not when they are at home.  That is so disgusting.  It is not rocket science to know that washing your hands is one of the easiest, most effective and free ways to prevent germs, sickness with yourself, children and adults.  I know a few people who are always sick and their children are always sick and I know for a fact that they do not wash their hands after going to the bathroom at home.  It makes me nauseous just thinking about the idea that they then prepare food, touch door knobs, touch their face or their children's face or just touch anything at all!  It is a huge guarantee that if you do not wash your hands after going to the bathroom, you are going to get sick and get others sick and get your children sick.  There is no excuse for not washing your hands ever!! These days we even have fancy hand sanitizer if you are stuck. Even using water to wash your hands is better then not washing them all.  Here is our rule of thumb for hand washing:

• Always wash your hands upon entering your home
• Always wash your hands prior to preparing or serving food
• Always, always wash your hands after going to the bathroom, even if you did not use the toilet!

Bottom line....Do not be gross and just wash your hands!

Georgia City Bans Breastfeeding in Public for Children Older Than Two

  The United States loves to sexualize everything including breastfeeding. While I may not breastfeed my child after 2, it should not be a city's right to ban a mother from doing so!  Why are people so afraid of mothers who breastfeed in public?  It is a natural thing to do. You should not be staring anyway!


Georgia City Bans Breastfeeding in Public for Children Older Than Two

Vagina verses Hoo-Ha

I hear so many people use code words for vagina and penis when talking to their baby or child.  I am always tempted to ask them why they do that.  Why are parents so afraid to use the correct name for our "private parts".  Do we really want our children to grow up thinking a vagina is a "hoo-hoo" and a penis is a "ding dong"?  I think these teaches children to be embarrassed of their vagina or their penis and they should not be. Let's embrace the true words and call them what they are.  We do not call an arm a "wee wee" so why should  a vagina or penis be any different.

Embrace it!

Now that you have read this, you should feel a little bit better since I said vagina and penis quite a bit.

Bambino Land 50% off sale!! The best muslin sheets and blankets!

Move over Aden and Anais, Bambino Land is half the price and super cute!!

I have three muslin sheets and four muslin blankets.  I love them!! They are super cute and wash up wonderfully and get softer each time you wash them.  This is a great deal!



https://www.bambinoland.com/


Use code:BEST4BABY to get 50% off your entire order!
(get FREE shipping on $50+ HURRY! code expires on June 20, 2011 

Happy Mother's Day!! My Favorite Sites for Mamas.

Every mom deserves to be celebrated all year around but Mother's Day is a special day so enjoy it!  I hope it brings you lots of love, joy and relaxation. In honor of Mother's Day, here are some of my favorite websites for mamas.  Enjoy!

Mothering Magazine
While it is no longer a hard copy magazine, Mothering still offers a great website full of support.

Natural Moms Talk Radio
Great to listen to for topics on being a natural mom.

Eco Mom
Amazing information on everything Eco in the world of mom and child.

Doula North America
All you need to know about Doulas.

Inhabitots
One of my favorite sites for fun gift ideas, articles, recipes etc. 

La Leche League
Important information about breastfeeding and why "breast is best".

The Thrifty Mama
Who knew a site could exist that is about being natural and thrifty!

Wholesome Baby Food
My go to for all baby food questions.  What age to feed what foods, easy recipes and nutrition information.

Zulily
I have found so many amazing deals on super cute organic baby clothes at this site.

Take some time to volunteer this weekend!

This Saturday in San Diego, is Creek to Bay Cleanup day.  I will be taking my daughter to our local beach to participate. It is a simple and fun activity that you can do as a family and it teaches your child/children great things about protecting the environment.

Even if you do not live in San Diego, take some time this weekend to visit your local spot and pick up some trash.  For more info, check out your local city Park and Recreation department or Surfrider Chapter.


Creek to Bay Cleanup 2011

No TV! Read a book instead!

In an age when DVDs like "Baby Einstein"and "Brainy Baby" dominate baby's lives, books sometimes get lost.  I do not think any baby should be watching television.  There is plenty of television in your child's future so teach them early to read a book.  Daytime, bedtime, anytime!! Classics are great like "Where the Wild Things Are" or anything by Dr. Seuss but here are some of my favorites to give as gifts and also that my little Tallulah loves.

ABC is For Circus

Charley Harper ABCs

Charley Harper 123s

Pop Warhol's Top

Moo, Baa, La La La!

In My Patch

Guess How Much I Love You

The Cat at Night

Mommy & Daddy, Hugs& Kisses

Natural Teething Choices

My little 9 month old has been teething like crazy.  In my search for natural teething toys, I found these.  How cute are this!! I have to have one! It almost seems too beautiful for teething.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63732446/wintery-blue-soft-circular

Drinking soda is not for children!

Sometimes I get criticized by random people because I do not feed my baby meat or because I delay vaccinations, you would be amazed the things I hear from people.  However, many of these "parents" are feeding their children junk food and soda and at a young age!! Do they not realize how they are damaging their children's bodies?  One of my friends said he got an email the other day that stated that one in four toddlers are given soda to drink. None of us could believe this statistic but then it made me think back to last summer.  Last August, I was walking on the beach with my daughter and I saw a baby crawling on the beach, hanging out with his family.  Since, he was crawling, he was probably like 7 or 8 months.  He was happy and playing and then I saw his parents walk up to him and feed him some Cheetos.  I was shocked!! I then looked over at their blanket area and they had a huge 2 liter of soda as well.  It took everything in me to not walk over to them and grab the Cheetos out of their hands.  So the next time a parent wants to lecture you  about the choices you are making, maybe they should evaluate what they are given to their own children first.

Natural Things to Love on Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/listing/40805147/eco-organic-baby-quilt-and-toddler

http://www.blogger.com/goog_136161749

http://www.blogger.com/goog_136161749

http://www.blogger.com/goog_136161749

http://www.blogger.com/goog_136161749

http://www.etsy.com/listing/69857524/turquoise-flower-cluster-infant-bodysuit

Eco Easter Eggs

This is a fun and safe way to dye your Easter Eggs.  This is a great recipe from one of my favorite green lifestyle experts, Sara Snow.  She is amazing!

What do you need:
Organic Hardboiled Eggs
Berries or Vegetables
White Distilled Vinegar

Water

1.  Choose your dyes: Use beets or cranberries for red, turmeric for orange, cumin for yellow, blueberries for green.
2.  In a saucepan, simmer water and your dying agent for about 15 minutes.  (You'll need about 1/2 cup of berries or vegetables and 2 teaspoons of herbs or grounds per cup of water)
3.  Strain the dye into a bowl then add 2 to 4 teaspoons of white distilled vinegar.
4.  Submerge hardboiled eggs into the dye, allowing to sit until your desired color is achieved (about 15 mintues).

" I sorry, we do not have highchairs"

The other day, my husband and I went to one of our favorite restaurants to have an early dinner, around 3:30pm.  We thought we would attend so we could sit outside and beat the crowds.  We also went early so we could take our 9 month old daughter and not disturb anyone later in the night.  We were so disappointed to find out that they do not have highchairs.  I was so surprised and told them that was a great way to keep children out.  I realize it is a wine bar as well as  a restaurant but it is a great place for brunch and lunch and I have attended many times with my family.  It is such a bummer to think that I cannot take my baby there unless I have a highchair.

The hostess commented and said "Well, you can bring the stroller in and leave her in there".  Clearly, she does not have kids!

McDonald's and a Children's Hospital, What do they have in common?

We have one of the best children's hospital in the country and I am thankful for that, however, it seems weird that right next to the ER and the main hospital is a McDonald's.  I realize that their is a Ronald McDonald Charity House on site at the hospital and they do amazing things, however, we all know that fast food is not healthy for anyone, especially children so it pained me to watch all these sick children in the ER eating McDonald's. 

I think it seems a little counteractive right?

Queen Bee Market in San Diego!

If you are in San Diego and love handmade items, then you must check it out! A fun place to find handmade items for babies, children's and Mother's Day!

http://queenbeemarket.blogspot.com/

You are not Vaccinated!!

We had been lucky that our 9 month old had not been sick.  Right after her 9 month check up, after I jinxed her by saying this, she woke up with a runny nose.  As the day progressed, she had a fever of 101.  In the evening, we took her to the on call doctor (not our doctor of course), who upon walking in the room, looked at our daugther's chart and said "You are not vaccinated at all? That is not good!".  Right away, I knew this visit was going to be unpleasant.  He did his check up and then told us that we needed to get blood work done since she had a fever.  All the labs were closed so we would have to go to the Children's hospital and go to the ER.  He proceeded to tell us stories of how many babies he has seen die of Hib and how serious it is and kept offering scare tactics as his method for getting us to vaccinate.  Meanwhile, I have a baby who is sick and it is past her bedtime and he will not let us leave so we can go to the ER which was going to be a long night anyway.  We were so frustrated and we just wanted to get our baby the care she needed.

When then get to the ER and the doctor there was so rude to us.  She had decided that we were irresponsible parents because we did not vaccinate and treated us that way during the whole ER visit.  Based on one thing, she sized us up into "bad parents".  It was so insulting and unnecessary.  We never said we were anti vaccinations, we just wanted to wait until she was year but the doctor did not even care or ask our reasoning.  The fact that she treated us like "bad parents' was frustrating.  How many parents get their children vaccinated out of obligation but do not provide  even half of the love and care that we provide our child?   How parents neglect their children when they are sick?  These things happen all the time but that does not seem to matter.  We realize we take a risk when not vaccinating but we feel the risks are greater when we vaccinate our baby at such a young age.  This is why we pay attention to how she is feeling and the second she has any symptoms, we call the doctor and have her checked out. 

This was a great example of the challenges of being a natural mommy in a mainstream world.  I am fine with doctors providing advice on vaccinations, I am very open to it.  I am not ok with anyone including doctors treating any parent like they are irresponsible because of choices they have made, especially when they do not take the time to even ask why.  In the end, my daughter was fine.  That is what counts.  However, next time, no doctor should  jump to conclusions or make assumptions without asking first.

I am a guest blogger!

I hope you will check out my blog posts every week at http://www.celebrategreen.net/blog/about. 

I am excited to be part of such a passionate team!  Celebrate Green is an amazing resource so be sure to check it out!

I love this!! A support group for women who have had a Cesarean and hope for a VBAC.

Celebrate your choices.  As I look to the future and think about my next birth, I hope to have a VBAC.  Birth stories are always important to celebrate, no matter what type of birth you had.  My wonderful doula, Linda Goldsmith, sent me invitation the other day for a coffee event put on by ICAN.  ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) is a non-profit, volunteer-run group working to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). I thought it was wonderful that there was a group of women out there that were helping women celebrate and share their cesarean births and also get information about VBACs.  If you have a few minutes of time today, take a moment and share your birth story with your baby or child.  I believe they can remember the experience and would love to hear about it.

http://www.ican-online.org

Breast is Best and that is the truth!

 I have been talking to some friends about breastfeeding and I feel so frustrated for some of them.  Many have had to stop breastfeeding because they stopped producing milk and  this is often because they find it a struggle to pump at work in order to keep up their milk supply.  I realize that the laws in CA require the workplace to allow time for pumping but obviously many women are struggling to find the time and place to do so.  The workplace is also supposed to provide a place to pump, other then the bathroom and I was surprised to learn that many women do not have this.  IT IS THE LAW!  Women should not have to fight to keep up with breastfeeding their babies.  Breast is best and the workplace should do all it can to support that.  I am lucky to have that at my workplace but women need to speak up and do their best to find time to pump.  I know it can be tough but do your best and use your voice to fight for your rights.  Here are some resources below.



http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/t025100.asp

http://www.californiabreastfeeding.org/Laws.html


1) Build a support network

During your pregnancy, attend ongoing breastfeeding classes or La Leche League meetings. (Ask your Doctor or Midwife for suggestions if you aren't aware of any groups in your area, or search online.)
Find women who have or are nursing their babies and talk with them. Befriend other nursing Moms.

In our society, it's rare to see women openly nursing their babies and that's one of the reasons that new Moms have challenges. Breastfeeding is an art, not a science, and it helps to have women who have "been there, done that" to support you.

Keep the phone numbers of one or two of these women,
and a local LLL leader, with you when you go in to the hospital to have your baby. Not all labor and delivery nurses are knowledgeable about breastfeeding and may actually discourage you. After I had my first, one of the nurses told me not to nurse my baby for more than 5 minutes or "you'll get sore". If I had listened, there is probably no way I would have been able to bring in a milk supply adequate enough for my son's needs.

Make sure your husband understands why breastfeeding is so important to you. Studies show that the attitude of your baby's Father (as well as your own Mom) are one of the most important factors in breastfeeding success. If the going gets tough, it helps if he's on your side!

It's also a good idea to make a list of things Dad can do with baby
(other than feed her) so he doesn't feel left out in her care. Examples include:

Taking baby for a walk while Mom takes a nap or bath
Massage baby
Giving baby a bath
"Slinging" (wearing baby in a soft cloth carrier) baby to sleep
Reading stories
Changing diapers and making it a special ritual with tickles, songs, etc-
you can be in charge of "input", and him, "output" ;)

Dads have been bonding with their babies without feeding them since the beginning of time.  He doesn't need to give baby a bottle (and possibly damage the breastfeeding relationship) to bond with her!

2) Find breastfeeding friendly health care

I cannot overemphasize this! I had to "fire" my first Pediatrician because she was so ignorant of the importance of breastfeeding.  If your Pediatrician is only giving lip service to "breast is best", then he is going to recommend formula at every sign of difficulty, when formula is very rarely needed. What IS needed is accurate information and support. Ask around at an LLL meeting or breastfeeding class for recommendations.

Also- be aware that not everyone who calls themselves a breastfeeding counselor has ever actually nursed a baby.  They may not even have more knowledge than a couple of hours of instruction in breastfeeding management.  Find an L.C. with the initials IBCLC after her name, or contact a La Leche League leader, who is herself a nursing Mom and is skilled in helping mothers through common breastfeeding challenges.

Developing a relationship with an LLL leader or L.C. means that you won't hesitate to call her when you, for example, need to take medication and want to know if it is compatible with breastfeeding (quick tip: the overwhelming majority of medicines are safe, and if researchers are unaware of the safety, the medicine can often be given in such a way so as to not disrupt breastfeeding needlessly).

3) Limit Artificial Nipples

Using artificial nipples (bottles of breastmilk or formula and pacifiers) reduces the time your baby spends at the breast. Time spent nursing at the breast tells your body how much milk to make, so using artificial nipples can reduce supply.

Some babies get nipple confusion, and some don't, however, studies show that using artificial nipples increases the likelihood that baby will wean before one year. So, wait until breastfeeding is well established and your supply is adequate for baby's needs before introducing artificial nipples, and even then, limit their use.

Using a supplemental bottle can be a Catch 22 because it can lessen the milk supply. Better to increase baby's nursings or time at the breast when baby is going through a growth spurt. Your body will send more milk because of the increased demand.

As a side note, the AAP

4) Appreciate Your Baby's Uniqueness

If you're nursing baby when she wants to and not worrying about schedules, your baby will likely be the size she is supposed to be. Don't be overly concerned if she isn't nursing the same number of times per day as your friend's baby. Babies differ in temperament. Some babies seem to want to be attached all the time.  Others get down to business and don't nurse much for comfort. Some are more dainty with their meals and like to snack, nap, snack, nap. Some babies are roly poly and huge, others, petite and perfect.

Stop worrying so much, enjoy your baby, and offer the breast frequently. Also- don't be obsessed over baby poop. Some babies just don't follow the "perfect" pooping schedule that you read about. Some have
a small offering with each diaper change. Others go a few days in between, but watch out when they do go-they typically make up in quantity what they lack in frequency! If baby is gaining well and growing, she's fine.

5) Get Cozy About Nursing In Public

Unless you're going to become a hermit for a year or want to pump bottles (inconvenient and has the disadvantages mentioned above), you need to be comfortable nursing in public.

Despite the horror stories you see people commenting on in the news about Moms being asked to leave public places when nursing, it's highly unlikely to ever happen to you. I've been breastfeeding nonstop for the last 8 years in every place imaginable, and have only ever had one person say something negative.  I have, however, gotten lots of positive feedback! Sometimes people will approach and admire your baby and never realize she's nursing, or if they do, express their approval or share that their own babies were breastfed.

Wear nursing shirts, buy a baby sling and practice latching baby on at home in front of a mirror. To buy nursing clothing, visit Motherwear.com.

Info from www.naturalmomstalkradio.com