Day 12 ~ Make a Food Bryce Can Try

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
Day 12 was 'Make a Food Bryce Can Try' and it happened to be fajita night at my sister's house. I'm a big fan of waiting until about 6 months to feed your child solid foods, but I am also a fan of encouraging children to explore. When we eat, Bryce basically attacks me to try to get at my food. He is so determined to try everything, that I have to put my plate practically on the other side of the table so he can't grab it. He is so interested in food!

So, I decided at 5 1/2 months, I'd let him try some super-mushy ripe avocado. I cubed it and put it on a plate, and let him mush it with his hands. If he wanted to play with it, he could. If he wanted to taste it, he could. I'm definitely not ready to feed him meals, but I don't mind him exploring the world around him, using all of his senses. Even when it's time to start eating 'meals,' I plan to just put soft finger foods on a surface for him to explore and taste. His main source of nutrients for the first year will be breastmilk, but I like that he has an interest in food. Definitely mommy's little guy!

Comfort & Harmony™ mombo™ Deluxe Pillow ~ Review & Giveaway

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

The Comfort & Harmony™ mombo™ Deluxe Pillow is the first two-sided nursing pillow with a vibrating feature. The Firm2Soft™ two-sided construction is uniquely designed to offer distinct benefits on each side. The firm side offers enhanced back support during nursing and just the right elevation for baby. The soft side creates the perfect environment for baby to relax.

Breastfeeding Bryce (4 months) using the mombo

This nursing pillow is so much more versatile than other pillows on the market. It is thicker and firmer. The rounded, plush side is great for placing babies in a variety of positions. The smooth side sits flat on either a hard surface, piece of furniture (with close supervision), or mommy's lap while nursing. The vibrating feature is very relaxing/soothing for little ones to nap after being fed.

Bryce lounging in his mombo at 2 months

Bryce at 3 months cuddling on the mombo with his sister Lydia

Bryce doing tummy time in the mombo at 3 months

Bryce relaxing in the mombo at 4 months

My son Bryce really loves tummy time. I like to place a blanket on the floor, the mombo on top, and position him on his belly. It's a great way for him to strengthen all his neck muscles and work on his head control.

BUY IT! The Comfort & Harmony™ mombo™ Deluxe Pillow in the Taggies™ Fashion is sold exclusively at Babies R Us and retails for $49.99

WIN IT! This giveaway is for a Comfort & Harmony™ mombo™ Deluxe Pillow in the Taggies™ Fashion with colorful, silky tags in all the right places for little hands to touch and explore soothes and comforts baby.  Superior plush fabrics and unique detailed appliqués offer a sweet and cozy environment.

Going Dairy-Free...and a new Brownie Recipe!

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
Bryce unfortunately has bad eczema and baby acne (along with a mucous-y sound in his chest after feedings sometimes), so it was recommended that I cut the dairy out of my diet while breastfeeding. Apparently there's a protein in dairy products that babies are often sensitive to. While I do not think I could give up dairy for a year (although I'd probably be down to 125 lbs in no time!), I'm willing to try maybe a month to see if it makes a difference. In doing so, I have had to give up some of my favorite foods - cheese, ice cream, and baked goods. I searched for a brownie recipe using coconut oil, cocoa powder, and dairy-free dark chocolate. I found a recipe and modified it accordingly. I think this would actually make a great chocolate chip muffin recipe because of the texture. It also maintains a bit of that coconut flavor, which was quite yummy! So, if you are lactose intolerant or giving up milk-based products for your little one while breastfeeding, try this recipe.


Ingredients
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
2 large cage-free eggs
2/3 cup coconut oil
3 Tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 oz dairy-free dark chocolate chunks (I used Dove)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use coconut oil to grease an 8" x 8" baking pan. In a mixer on low speed, cream the sugar, eggs, and coconut oil.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder into a medium bowl.

In small batches, add the sifted ingredients into the mixer to combine. Add chocolate chunks.

Pour this mixture into the greased pan. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

Makes 9 brownies (as long as you don't eat all the batter with a spoon before it goes into the pan!)

Tommee Tippee Review ~ Closer to Nature Bottle & Explora Truly Spill-Proof Drink Cup

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

After blogging about the new Tommee Tippee The Day Baby Was Born web application, I contacted the company to see if I could review some of their other products. I was quickly sent a closer to nature 5 oz feeding bottle for my newborn boy Bryce and a set of two explora truly spill proof drink cups for my 2-year old daughter Lydia.

The uniquely-designed nipple on the closer to nature bottle was created to mimic the natural feel of breastfeeding. It has a wider nipple for better latching and is BPA and phthalate-free.

When Lydia was about 7 months old, I returned to work full-time for 2 months. She had never used a bottle before, but obviously I had to pump while at work and send a bottle with her babysitter. Unfortunately, I didn't know about the Tommee Tippee line of products, and I had a hard time finding a bottle that was appropriate for a child who had only been breastfed until that point. Because the creators of this bottle thought about children who are exclusively breastfed, they designed a product that is perfect for moms who have to go back to work or who need the occasional babysitter, but still pump so that their children can be fed breastmilk.  These bottles are available in 5 oz and 9 oz sizes and nipples are available in slow, medium, and fast flow. From my experiences, I recommend using a slow flow nipple on a smaller bottle with all breastfed babies, regardless of age.

The explora cups come in 5 different stages to safely and comfortably transition children from a bottle/breast to a cup. The truly spill-proof drink cups we were sent are Stage 5, for children 24m+. 

Lydia has a tendency to take her cups and pour her drink from one cup into another. Quite often, this ends up making a puddle on the floor or a sticky juice mess on our table. Well, when we handed Lydia this cup by Tommee Tippee, she tipped it over...she shook it...she tried every way possible to pour out her drink into another cup. As they say - this cup is truly spill-proof. Lydia was unable to get even a drip of the water to come out of her cup. This means the cup is great for throwing in a diaper bag because you don't have to worry about a big wet mess later on when the juice spills out everywhere. We have gone through so many toddler cups that leak everywhere, we are so happy to have found this product. Another great feature is that they are so easy to clean up. Some toddler cups have 3 - 4 pieces that have to be washed separately. With this cup, you just take the top off and throw both pieces in the dishwasher. 

BUY IT! The closer to nature bottles come in different stages: 0m+, 3m+, and 6m+. A single 5 oz bottle can be purchased for $8.99 and a 3-pack is just $19.99. A 2-pack of the explora truly spill-proof drink cups is just $8.99. They are now available at your local Babies R Us. 

For more information, visit the Tommee Tippee website, Facebook page and Twitter. 

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Eco-Friendly Choices (Day 23 of 30)

Let me begin by saying...the 4-week countdown is ON!

So last night, I participated in a Healthy Child, Healthy World and Seventh Generation twitter party. We talked about eco-friendly choices, and it made me really think about how many eco-friendly choices I have made, especially since giving birth to Lydia:

• Breastfeeding
• Cloth diapering
• Reusable shopping bags
• Recycling pretty much everything I can
• Donating unneeded goods to charities
• Composting
• Gardening using seeds from my kitchen
• Reused tire mulch under our playground set
• Greener household cleaning products
• Organic food choices
• Using reusable bottles for water and a Brita pitcher instead of buying water bottles
• Some eco-friendly toys for Lydia
• Conserving energy as much as possible 
• Not using excessive quantities of gas - just driving when I need to
• Refusing plasticware, bags, packaging in restaurants as often as possible
• Reusing containers, butting back on zipper bags

I'm sure I'm forgetting several, but it feels good to confidently make these choices. Being more eco-conscious is a way of life. It makes you think about each decision you make, how it affects your life, the lives of your children, and the future generations. 

Okay, so my baby is a year...

Lydia celebrated her first birthday on 9.2.10. Wow! A full year! It's definitely one of those things where I feel like she has been a part of my life for so long, and yet it flew by so quickly. But why is one year so special? I feel like there are so many expectations attached to "one year."

Breastfeeding...Full-term breastfeeding is one year. That is the recommendation. When I first began breastfeeding, I told myself I would do it for 6 weeks. When I hit 6 weeks, I said I'd try for 6 months. When I hit 6 months, I challenged myself to do it for a year. I used to think anyone who made it to a year was kinda crazy... but the REALLY crazy people breastfeed for more than a year. Why would they do that? Well, I am learning something pretty simple. Babies like boobs - and more so than that, babies don't know they're one-year old. They haven't read the books that say they only 'have to' breastfeed for a year. They don't see an expiration date or a deadline. They love boobs, they love mommy, mommy's boobs are comforting and bring love and affection. That's what babies know. Weaning is a process. Lydia can easily go 8 to 10 hours without breastfeeding if I am at work. But when she sees me, it's a whole other thing. She associates me with this comforting feeling and she wants to experience that frequently. I started to get bothered by it recently...and then I stopped and thought. She's just one. So when will I wean her? Who knows!

Sleeping... I was always told that babies should be sleeping through the night by a year. Well, not my baby! In fact, she was a much better sleeper at one month than she is at one year. She starts every night off in her crib. Her night starts between 9 and 10 pm. She will not go to bed before that recently. She's just not tired. She stays in her crib maybe 3 hours, wakes him crying and standing in her crib, comes out, and spends the rest of the night in our bed. Throughout the remainder of the night, she wakes up every 1 - 2 hours, and I just allow her to nurse. Babies are not 'bad' because they don't sleep through the night. I'm not a great sleeper, she's not a great sleeper. This is just who she is.

Eating...now THIS she has down! She loves food, and eats almost everything. Her new favorites seem to be olives and blueberry waffles (not together, of course). I love that she's so easy to feed. Since about 8 or 9 months old, she's eaten basically whatever we eat. Cooking for her is so much fun! I look forward to cooking with her one day. I hope she enjoys it like I do.


Walking & Talking...I feel like 'one year' has all of these cognitive and motor milestones attached to it. Babies should be walking at around a year. Babies should have lots of single words at a year. Babies should be able to put in and take out at a year. Lydia can do most of these things. I think her receptive language is actually a bit advanced. I think her fine motor skills are actually really good. Over the past few days, she has started to stand independently for a few seconds at a time, she cruises long distances, and she can walk with a walking toy (as long as she is provided with some resistance - the tile is too slippery). As for talking - she can greet people, she points and says "that" to make requests, she said "cat" at a young age (like 9 or 10 months), duck, book, ball...so her language is coming along. She understands some simple one-step directions, like "give me" and "put in."

So when will Lydia wean? When will she walk? Will she always be a good eater? When will she sleep through the night? Who knows! I have a question though - when will she get some more hair?? :-)

30 Years Later - Have we moved forward?

Earlier in the year, my mother-in-law had a fire in her house. No one was injured, but it caused her to have to go through everything in her house. In doing so, she came across a lot of my husband's old papers, photos, etc. and gave him a big box of stuff. One thing she found and gave to us was his baby book. She kept really detailed information about his development until about the age of 5, which was so cool to read. She also included a guide that was given to new parents in the hospital, written by the American Academy of Pediatrics. I just wanted to share some of the information in this guide that was published back in the 1970s.

It begins with explaining how your baby is not a miniature adult:

• The bones of the head are soft and rubbery. 
• Your baby may have no hair - or excess hair all over his body. 
• The face is asymmetrical. 
• Your baby has poor vision. 
• The neck is short and supports the head poorly. 
• Extremities may twitch. 
• The skin has a purple-red color due to poor circulation. 
• Hearing is not present at birth, but appears within a few days.
• Babies can lose as much as 10% of their birth weight.
• Babies are born with their mother's hormones in the blood, which may cause swollen breasts, bloody vaginal discharge, swollen vagina/scrotum.
• Respiration is irregular.
• Spitting up is very common the first few months.
• The bridge of baby's nose is flat.
• Hiccups are common.
• Sleep patters vary in infants. Some may sleep 18 hours a day while others 7 - 8 hours.
• Bowel moments also vary greatly.
• The navel may protrude.
• The feet may turn in or out.

Before even mentioning breastfeeding, the next section is entitled "Formula Preparation." What?? Are we not even giving the mom a chance to successfully breastfeed? No information regarding the benefits of breastfeeding before promoting formula usage? This section discusses that it is no longer necessary to sterilize formula or boil water. You should use tap water to make 26 oz of formula at a time, which should be divided into 6 bottles. Scrub nipples with soap and water. Refrigerate. Warming the milk is unnecessary. Then it describes how to bottlefeed your baby and how to schedule feedings roughly while being open to feeding when baby is hungry. The only good part is that it specifically states "Never prop up the bottle and leave baby to feed himself."

Okay...here's a highly-disturbing section (I think) entitled "Friends and Visitors" - "Do your utmost to keep visitors and especially children away from your baby. The newborn baby is best kept as much to himself as possible. He should never sleep with you or with anybody else." Again, WHAT?! So the baby's father, grandmother, siblings, aunt, etc. should not interact with this child? Everyone should be kept away, and this insecure baby with poor vision and hearing (as described above) should feel lonely just laying by himself all night and day? Oh, that's right...this is for people giving their babies formula, which does not allow the baby to share the mother's immunity as breastfeeding would, so the baby's immunity is compromised, and he should be ignored. Sigh...

Finally, on page 5 of this booklet, breastfeeding is mentioned! Phew... It opens with "For maximum milk production - - your baby will be brought to you every three to four hours around the clock." While that is very important, shouldn't it really begin with "For maximum bonding and health, you should breastfeed"?? Most of the other information is actually accurate and beneficial for new moms - how to hold your baby while nursing, how to get a good latch, manually express if needed, be patient, wear a good nursing bra, etc. It talks about how you should not sleep through the night until at least the 8th week. I am still waiting for more than 3 hours of sleep at a time, and Lydia is almost 11 months old. And for some reason, after all that, it says not to weigh your baby at home. That's just odd. Just turned the page and found the best part yet, actually (no sarcasm here for a change): "If baby cries you MUST NURSE baby ON DEMAND. IT IS NORMAL DURING FIRST FEW WEEKS TO NURSE 10 - 12 TIMES A DAY!" (I think I still nurse this frequently.) This is followed by a sentence about how you need to offer your baby lukewarm water once or twice daily, but it's okay if your child does not take it. I don't think Lydia was ever offered water until about 6 months of age. I couldn't imagine offering a newborn a bottle of water. Isn't the whole point to provide your child with nourishment, comfort, and weight gain? How would water help with any of that?

The next section is on baby care, and it is still accurate. Here's the really amazing part -- no mention of disposable diapers, only cloth diapers. Intriguing! It's all about how to properly wash your diapers (doesn't even call them "cloth diapers") or to use a diaper service. One other thing I like that was in here was to not over-dress your baby. Your baby only needs as much clothing as you need. I see so many moms who dress their kids in full outfits and then wrap blankets around them - in the summer heat in Florida!  UGH!

So to wrap it all up...The biggest difference of all between the 1970s and 2010? "Most babies prefer to sleep on their stomachs with the head turned to one side." Definitely not a recommendation anyone would make anymore! Amazing how all of us turned out okay and we all slept on our stomachs. Now babies sleep on their backs and need positioners that warn against plagiocephaly (flattening of the head).

What do you think? Is the parenting advice given in hospitals better now...or better then?

GladRags Nursing Pads Review & Giveaway ends 7/20

I was approached by GladRags to review a pair of reusable organic cotton nursing pads. The organic cotton is very soft and is grown without the use of pesticides or any other chemicals. I have seen other pads that are organic/reusable, but they are usually much bulkier, which may be awkward when wearing a form-fitting shirt. These are thin, but absorbent. To clean the nursing pads, simply machine wash and dry. For increased absorbency, wash in hot water before using them for the first time.

The best feature about these pads is that they have a slit from the center outward so that you can shape them into a more natural-looking nursing pad (see image below). This also makes for good protection against leakage. The only time I leaked regularly was probably for the first 3 - 4 months, during the night. These would've been great inside a comfy night-time bra.

For those of us who use cloth diapers, we have already learned how easy it is to use eco-friendly, reusable products such as these. You don't ever have to worry about them "running out" as you would disposable nursing pads. I recently wrote about my period returning, so I definitely want to look into some of their reusable menstrual products as well (like cloth pads and pantiliners, cups and sponges).

There's also a great GladRags Blog that discusses important women's issues - with a focus on menstruating, going green, and healthy lifestyle choices.


BUY IT! GladRags makes so many other great products for new mommies, like nipple butter, bath herbs, and organic cotton hankies, as well as alternative products to tampons and disposable sanitary napkins.

WIN IT! You could win a pack of 3 pairs of nursing pads PLUS an Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter (RV over $35).

Mandatory entry: Visit Gladrags and comment with the product you are most interested in trying.

For additional entries - leave one comment per entry:

1. 'Like' GladRags on Facebook.

2. 'Like' Huppie Mama on Facebook.

3. Follow GladRags on Twitter.
4. Follow Huppie Mama on Twitter.
5. Become a public follower of Huppie Mama.
6. 'Like' Abi's Place (the non-profit where I work) on Facebook.
7. Vote for Zimmerman School House dba Abi's Place to win $500,000 in the KOHL'S Cares campaign by clicking the link to the right (just above the Facebook Badge).
(*If you are already a follower of my blog, twitter, or Facebook, leave a comment telling me that - one for each)
 

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to find you. This giveaway ends on 7/20 at 10:00 pm. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck! 

* I received the aforementioned products for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Congratulations to Stephanie! Thank you to all who participated in this giveaway.

I wasn't sad to see you leave...

And I wasn't happy when you returned!

So, last week, it happened. I got my period. Other than the bleeding that occurs after you give birth, I hadn't had my monthly "friend" since November 2008. A friend warned me that I may get it back after returning to work (which I did at 7 months) and at 9.5 months, it was back! And not only was it back... It was very heavy. This brought on a lot of emotions (not to mention horrible migraines).  I think this is something that perhaps only breastfeeding mommies would understand because of the symbiotic relationship that occurs between mommy and baby. I was providing Lydia with nourishment and health, while she was protecting me from menstrual cramps and bleeding. I feel like this marked the end of her "needing" to nurse. When I first had her, I thought I would only breastfeed for a few weeks at most, and as we're approaching 10 months, I'm not ready for her to start drinking regular milk at a year :-( People have asked me if I'll wean at 12 months, and I'm still very uncertain about how/when I will wean. I guess I'll just play it day-by-day and see what Lydia wants to do.

So here's a super-embarrassing story that I'll share with my readers.

I went with a girlfriend to get frozen yogurt last week. Lydia fell asleep on my chest for over an hour, so I just sat and talked to my friend that whole time. When Lydia awoke, my friend asked to hold her. I bent over to hand her off, and what happened? A FLOOD poured out of me, through my pants, and on to the chair. I went to the bathroom, and I was just soaked through. What to do?? I cleaned up as best as I could, and I grabbed one of Lydia's cloth diapers to soak it all up! Yay to cloth diapers!! Fortunately I was wearing dark blue jeans, but after grabbing Lydia, I ran to the car, stuck her in, grabbed one of her changing pads to stick under my bottom, and drove home.

This situation reminded me of when I was in 10th grade. I had this grey and black striped dress that I didn't particularly like, but actually that friend I mentioned above (who said my period would return) and my mom picked it out and said it was cute on me. Something about that dress was cursed. First, I was wearing it when I found out my crush was moving away. Then, I was in English class, and my period leaked all over the dress, my chair, etc. How embarrassing!  My 65 yr old chemistry teacher had to let me borrow her sweater to tie around my waist so I could call my mom to bring me new clothing :-( 

Oh, the joys of being a woman!!  So I've heard about alternatives to traditional tampons/sanitary napkins. I'd like to purchase one, but I'm kinda confused about how it all works. Anyone care to share your experiences/recommendations?  Thanks!

Hygiea Breast Pump Review

My friend Elita at Blacktating asked me to review the Hygeia EnJoye™ Professional-Grade Breastpump now that I am working full-time while breastfeeding Lydia. Check out the review and let me know if you have any questions. This is a great double breast pump, and I am so thankful to Elita for allowing me to borrow it for a few months!

Health & Opportunity

As parents, I believe we owe two things to our children: health and opportunity. Our baby's health begins the moment we ovulate/conceive. You want to eat healthy, take vitamins, limit heavy-lifting, remain active (without pushing yourself), avoid alcohol/tobacco, etc. We strive to treat our bodies better than we ever have before to protect what is inside. I have given Lydia three amazing 'gifts' so far that should hopefully help her to be strong and healthy: breastmilk, health insurance, and cord blood banking.

Two of my friends had babies over the last 10 days or so. Knowing how supportive I have become of breastfeeding, they both shared their first experiences with me in some way. One mommy gave birth to her baby about 2 months early. She is in the NICU, but she has been pumping and giving her only breastmilk. Over the weekend, her baby latched on for the first time to do some non-nutritive sucking. So amazing!  What's even more amazing, is how excited and proud she was to share this with me. I feel quite honored.

The other friend had her baby boy yesterday. I went to the hospital to see her after work, and she looked amazing. Her little guy was so cute! While I was there, the nurse showed her how to feed him, and she fed him his first whole 'meal' with me there. Such a cool thing to experience with her! She's been watching me feed Lydia for months now, so I was super-excited to see how she would do with her little one. He did so great - latched right on like a pro. I hope both of my new mommy friends enjoy this experience as much as I do :-)

I was trying to explain to my sister recently what breastfeeding is like (she has two stepdaughters, but no children of her own yet). I told her that being pregnant and having a baby allowed my body to do its job. It feels like this awesome machine that works so mysteriously and skillfully. I also told her that when people choose to formula feed, it seems like giving away free diamonds to pay for cubic zirconia.

On to the two other health issues... we pay out of pocket for Lydia's health insurance. It's expensive, and it sucks that we have to pay it ourselves, but that's life, and I could not imagine allowing her to go without it. However, I will say that I am not impressed with the doctor who I initially chose, so I am looking into a more holistic doctor. Lydia is due for her 9-month check-up soon, so I would like to switch by then. I think I found someone...just need to make some phone calls and keep my fingers crossed!

Cord blood banking... this is something we considered for a while, but ultimately decided it would be best for our family. I found a less expensive place, and I think of it as another form of health insurance. The one thing the (idiot) doctor who delivered Lydia said was: you don't ever want to sit in a doctor's office, find out something is wrong, and wish you had banked. I have known several families whose children's lives were improved because of cord blood. I had to give that extra bit of potential security to my little one.

Okay, so the second thing you owe your child is opportunity. To fulfill this, I began a college fund for Lydia. We pay about $100 a month for her to go to a 4-year state university in Florida. If she ever wants to go somewhere else, we can just withdraw the money. It's pretty much like having a savings account, only it grows exponentially over 18 years. I am truly proud to give this opportunity to my daughter.

I also hope to offer her the opportunity to meet new people, try new things, and just experience life. That's what it's all about!

Eco-litism?

I was engaged in two different discussions yesterday that have led me to write this post. This is in not intended to offend anyone or cause any conflict, but I'm somewhat eager to get some feedback from others, so please read and comment!

Conversation one: I engaged in an online discussion with someone who was questioning different aspects of parenting/child development. These exchanges led to me saying: the only thing a baby really needs is love, 2 arms, 2 boobs, and some cloth diapers. And in actuality, when you narrow it down to needs, you basically need to be sheltered, fed, and clothed. This led to all kinds of other stupidity (why I continued to engage in it, I don't know. Ignorance just gets under my skin and my fiery Scorpio personality comes out) and she was like..."They still make cloth diapers? No thanks, I will stick with my Huggies." So I said "I'm not wealthy, so I'd rather breastfeed, cloth diaper, and put the money in a college fund for my daughter instead of a landfill." At that point, she told me I need to save money for my child's therapy since I'll drive her nuts. We were done at that point!

Conversation two: My best friend growing up lives in NYC. We got into a conversation yesterday about how people in NY take the whole eco-friendly/green-living thing too far. She said there was an unpasteurized milk movement a few years ago that seemed to be dangerous. I have heard from other people that they like to give their children unpasteurized milk. Her point was that it almost becomes a "who can do the most outrageous eco-friendly thing?" contest.

Is there an eco-litism? I have to say, it feels good to share my eco-choices with others. Why? Not to be an elitist, but because I am proud of the decisions I have made for my family and my planet.

• Shopping for fresh vegetables, going to farmer's markets, etc. is so healthy for my family, supports the local growers trying to produce great food, and eliminates all of the unnecessary waste (e.g. gas to transport food from other places, extra packaging, etc.) 
• Wearing cloth diapers (something I only began recently) has already saved us money and protected my baby's skin. 
• Composting reduces the amount of waste we create and helps produce really great soil for my garden. 
• Using fewer plastic bags helps the earth...and honestly, who wants plastic bags lying around the house with an infant learning to crawl? That's just dangerous! Additionally, a lot of places give a discount now for bringing your own bags.
• Best of all is the decision to breastfeed. The benefits are endless: building my daughter's immunity, helping her to relax/soothe/go to sleep, saving us tons of money, reducing waste from packaging, gas, etc., and if you want to get technical, saving us money on feminine products as I have not started to menstruate yet.  Besides, it just feels good to know that I provided her with all the nutrients she needed to survive the first 6 months of life, and I continue to provide her with so many nutrients now at 8 months.

Is it pride? Is it elitism? I think I'm just happy with the research I have done and the knowledge I have gained in such a short period of time and the decisions I have made based on weighing the pros/cons... and I just want to share that information with everyone else! Nothing wrong with that, right??

Here's some additional information regarding Raw Milk.

I love raw milk cheese - my favorite being Organic Valley Raw Sharp Cheddar Cheese. I also just tried some raw milk goat cheese from a farm I visited in Central Florida. I know my doctor told me not to eat unpasteurized cheeses during pregnancy, and I listened. In fact, as a first time mom, I avoided a lot of foods while I was pregnant for fear that they would be harmful. But the more I think about it, isn't our breast milk just unpasteurized milk created by a mammal? Isn't that the same as raw cow's milk? And isn't breast milk the best thing for our babies? I decided to do some quick research regarding unpasteurized milk. I came across this raw milk website. Here are some facts I learned about raw milk:

• Raw milk is cow's milk taken straight from animals fed only fresh, organic, green grass, rapidly cooled to somewhere around 36-38 degrees F., and bottled.
• Do not drink raw milk that is going to be pasteurized. It is generally mass-produced, and cleanliness standards are not nearly as high as they are for milk that is meant to be raw milk. In addition, milk is often produced by 'supercows' who are given additional hormones to produce more milk. This leads to a condition that many breastfeeding women can relate to: mastitis (I have been fortunate to not experience it, but I have heard it's awful).  Mastitis produces increased white blood cells - which leads to pus in the milk. Great to know, huh??
• Raw milk has amazing medicinal properties and was used to treat illness for hundreds of years (until midway through the 20th century). Clean raw milk from pastured cows is a complete and properly balanced food. You could live on it exclusively if you had to - kinda like human breast milk for babies!!

I'd like to end this with a quote I've seen on a few websites recently:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Meade

Cleaning out my Closet - My Breastfeeding Adventure!

My mom did not breastfeed me. She said it's because of my jaundice. She tried for a week or two (supplementing with formula), but said that I seemed to like the formula just as much anyway, so why bother? I always grew up thinking that breastfeeding was not so important... or it was something that people who lived in other places did because they didn't have access to formula, bottles, etc.

To let you in on my world a bit, when I was in college, the doctors found a lump in my right breast. I had an ultrasound, and they said it was just a fibroadenoma - basically, some dense tissue. A few years later my doctor mentioned it to me, and she suggested I have another ultrasound just to check it. We compared the results with my previous ultrasound, and the mass had just about doubled in size in a few years. The lump itself wasn't dangerous, but it was suggested to me that I have it removed because if anything formed behind the lump, it could not be detected. I was always self-conscious of my smaller breast size, and this was the smaller of my two breasts. The idea of removing a sizable portion was scary!  So, at that time, I opted for a breast augmentation (and lumpectomy). Unfortunately, the other implant bottomed-out, so I also needed a second surgery to fix that one. I guess after all that, I assumed my breasts just wouldn't work properly one day, and I accepted that as my reality.

When my friends started to have children, some breastfed, some didn't. Those who breastfed were very determined to make it to at least the one-year mark. Those who didn't had the mindset that I began to adopt "I was raised on formula, and I'm just fine!" I remember reading while I was pregnant that toward the end of your pregnancy, you may begin to leak. The day I began leaking was so exciting!  I grabbed the phone to call whoever I could - maybe, against the odds, this breastfeeding thing could actually work!  I told myself that if it did work, I would commit myself to breastfeeding.

As I reflect back now - basically, due to pure stupidity and 21+ hours of labor, I ended up having a c-section. I did get to experience pushing and trying for a vaginal birth, but it just didn't happen. I asked the nursery that they not give her formula or pacifiers when she was born. They honored my desires, so when I awoke after surgery, they wheeled me to the post-partum area, Lydia was placed in my arms, and I got to breastfeed her for the first time. I was so lucky - she took right to it! She latched right on, and everything was awesome... until they told me about her jaundice. They said I had to 'supplement with formula to flush out the jaundice.' I stood in the hallway of the hospital crying as they told me this was no big deal. Well, it was a big deal to me! So, against all my wishes, I supplemented with formula (breastfed first, then formula), and most of the time she just spit it all up. As we were packing the leave the hospital, this awesome lactation consultant came into the room. She told us about her adventures in breastfeeding and home-birthing a breech baby!  Wow! She said that the idea of having to give formula because of Lydia's jaundice was ridiculous. And so... formula gone!

Richard and I used to talk about our friend, Justin Case (get it? just in case?) This friend was always there when you needed someone to bail you out. Well, this time around, Justin Case has been hiding in Lydia's closet. You know those seminars you go to before you give birth? The hospital staff gives you a tour, and they tell you about the wonders of breastfeeding as they hand you a container of Similac. Well, that container has been sitting in Lydia's room since last summer, with an expiration date of April 2010. I guess I left in there 'Justin Case' something happened - I got really ill, my supply diminished. So as I was cleaning my disastrous house yesterday for a playdate, I came across the formula. I saw the expiration date, tore the bottle open, and slowly poured it down the sink. Something about that experience was just so amazing - it was freeing. It was like winning the school spelling bee or completing a semester of college. I set out to provide my child with all the nutrients she needs...and I'm really doing it!

As for my house, it looked really nice yesterday. It's back to disaster central today.

My NEW Blog

Although I already have several blogs, I believe this to be the most important one (at this time in my life anyway). I guess I'll begin with an introduction to who I am. My name is Carrie Wells. I work for a non-profit organization in South Florida -- Abi's Place. We provide educational and therapeutic services to children with disabilities. My role there is somewhat complex and not easy to define. Last year I was the school's lead teacher, but after going on maternity leave, I became the school's grant writer. I am starting to come back to fill many director-type roles, such as evaluations, paperwork, school tours, interviews, mentoring, etc. I am also a graduate-level instructor through the University of Phoenix.

A year ago, I felt very defined by my career. I am also a wife to a wonderful husband named Richard, a pescetarian (and foodie), and a huge fan of MAC Cosmetics. But then something amazing happened... something that changed so many of my beliefs about life and love. I gave birth to my beautiful, healthy, happy daughter Lydia Marie on September 2, 2009.

People always told me that having a child changes you. And while at the core I am still the same dorky girl who got picked last for kickball in elementary school...and the middle-schooler with braces...and the pseudo-goth college freshman at UF, I have been transformed. My mom's friend used the word "softened." I'll take that.

I have always been critical of others, one of my downfalls. But I have learned how to take the idea of being a critic, and make it into something that is meaningful for my family. Becoming a mother has made me think about every moment of my life. Is this the BEST thing I could be doing right now? Am I eating what I should be? How could this conflict have been avoided? Could this be reused/recycled? What can I accomplish today that is meaningful to myself, my family, my community? I hope this blog can be just that.

I became the mother I never knew was in me. Here are some ideas that I very surprisingly have 'attached' myself to:

*Breastfeeding - 6 months already, another 6+ months to go!

*Co-sleeping - I always thought parents who allowed their children to sleep with them were suckers. And for some parents who co-sleep, they are suckers. They do it because they don't want to 'deal with' their child crying or having to get out of bed during the night. I do it for what I believe to be the right reasons - simply put, Lydia is my family. She's a part of me, and I would like to have her by my side until my husband and I feel she's ready to transition to her crib.

*Holding - When Lydia was first born, I used to put her in the car carrier a lot. This is what I had seen other people doing, and she seemed to be sleeping comfortably, so I thought this was okay. But then I thought about this...car carrier. Shouldn't that be left IN THE CAR?! That's when I realized the importance of holding her. Whether using my arms or some other carrying device, I want her close to me. Why push her away now? She has her whole life to gain independence. Now is the time when it's okay to keep her close as often as I believe to be appropriate.

*Organic flow - As an adult, I became very scheduled, mainly for two reasons: 1. I like to believe I am organized, and this aids in my organization. 2. Children with autism are very routinized. They are taught to follow schedules, they tend to be rigid in their thinking and avoid change, and they thrive when provided with consistency. Being around this population for many years, I think I began to cling to some of their tendencies. As a parent, I have made a conscious effort to avoid real scheduling. Of course, we have doctor appointments, I work part-time, I make 'dates' with my friends...but when it comes to sleeping and eating, I like to allow Lydia to let me know when she is ready. Again, she has her entire life to follow rigid schedules...why should she now? Our bodies tell us when we're hungry and sleepy, and we should learn to listen to them. It's when we're deprived of those two things that we generally don't function as well as we could be.

*Healthy eating - This is something I have always tried to do. Yes, I am guilty of eating the occasional frozen meal or big pile of french fries, but I make a good effort to shop at farmer's markets or Whole Foods or Fresh Market or the local fish store. I want to buy organic produce and wild seafood.  I want to know that what I am putting into my body (and the bodies of those who I love) is fresh and flavorful and good for us. Cooking has always been a passion, but I think this has become even more important to me now that I am a mother.

So, that's a little about me. From this point forward, I will probably post more about events I attend, stores or websites I visit, maybe some recipes, and anything else that seems worthwhile and relevant.