Breastfeeding

When you're first breastfeeding your newborn it can be a challenge at times. You are nursing so frequently it seems like thats all you do. If you can stay strong and stick with it you will enjoy it and will be so thankful you don't have to fix a bottle of formula every time you turn around. Be patient and understand that its a learning process for you and your baby.

Breatfeeding is the best way to provide nutrition for your baby. Levon turned a year on December 11, 2009 and he is still breastfeeding 1-2 times a day. Some people tell me that he doesn't need it and that I should wean him. But I think he will wean himself when he is ready. There are many benefits to breastfeeding beyond the age of 1 year old so as long as I can provide good nutrition for him I will continue to do so.

Breastfeeding is good for every part of baby's body--from the brain to the diaper area. Here's a list:

• Brain. Higher IQ in breastfed children. Cholesterol and other types of fat in human milk support the growth of nerve tissue.

• Eyes. Visual acuity is higher in babies fed human milk.

• Ears. Breastfed babies get fewer ear infections.

• Mouth. Less need for orthodontics in children breastfed more than a year. Improved muscle development of face from suckling at the breast. Subtle changes in the taste of human milk prepare babies to accept a variety of solid foods.

• Throat. Children who are breastfed are less likely to require tonsillectomies.

• Respiratory system. Evidence shows that breastfed babies have fewer and less severe upper respiratory infections, less wheezing, less pneumonia and less influenza.

• Heart and circulatory system. Evidence suggests that breastfed children may have lower cholesterol as adults. Heart rates are lower in breastfed infants.

• Digestive system. Less diarrhea, fewer gastrointestinal infections in babies who are breastfeeding. Six months or more of exclusive breastfeeding reduces risk of food allergies. Also, less risk of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in adulthood.

• Immune system. Breastfed babies respond better to vaccinations. Human milk helps to mature baby's own immune system. Breastfeeding decreases the risk of childhood cancer.

• Endocrine system. Reduced risk of getting diabetes.

• Kidneys. With less salt and less protein, human milk is easier on a baby's kidneys.

• Appendix. Children with acute appendicitis are less likely to have been breastfed.

• Urinary tract. Fewer infections in breastfed infants.

• Joints and muscles. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is less common in children who were breastfed.

• Skin. Less allergic eczema in breastfed infants.

• Growth. Breastfed babies are leaner at one year of age and less likely to be obese later in life.

• Bowels. Less constipation. Stools of breastfed babies have a less-offensive odor.

In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL (appx. 2 cups) of breastmilk provides:

• 29% of energy requirements
• 43% of protein requirements
• 36% of calcium requirements
• 75% of vitamin A requirements
• 76% of folate requirements
• 94% of vitamin B₁₂ requirements
• 60% of vitamin C requirements

For more great info visit: www.kellymom.com

If you plan to or are currently breastfeeding here is a list of things that made breastfeeding a little easier for me:

1)Boppy Pillow

2)Lanolin

3)Comfortable nursing bra, especially important in the first few months of nursing

4)Medela Swing Breast pump (great for on the go)

5)Medela Breastmilk storage bags

6)PATIENCE!!

Choosing a cloth diaper

When you are trying to pick a cloth diaper it can be quite overwhelming. So i'm here to try and make your decision a little less painful. First, lets learn about the different types of diapers. . .

AIOs (All In Ones) are super convenient. If you have a lot going on in your life and need a diaper that comes in one piece with no covers or inserts required AIOs are a great fit for your life. I find the Bum Genius AIO's to be very absorbant and convenient. There are alot of different AIO's out there so just look around for what will be right for you.

Fitted diapers and covers are a good option as well. Fitted diapers are best known for being highly absorbent and leak less than others. I would recommend about 24 different fitted diapers and about 10 different covers so you can mix and match. Since you can reuse the covers multiple times before washing you wont need the same amount of covers for diapers.

Prefold diapers are the most basic diapers out there and while some may think they are old fashioned in this age of designer diapers, I like their simplicity. You simply fold the diaper over the baby and either use diaper pins or a snappi and put a diaper cover on. Once you get the hang of folding it is really easy to do and nothing is easier then washing prefolds. They are very economical and super cheap.

I would recommend getting a variety to start with and see what you like.

See an AIO

See a Fitted

See a Prefold

Poor Baby

Yesterday I woke up to discover that my 1 year old son Levon was sick for the first time ever. He had the classic signs of a cold, runny nose, red eyes, and a little cough. I felt so bad for him. I had been having the same symptoms for a couple of days so I felt extra guilty that I was probably the one who gave him his cold. He didn't really act like he felt bad, what a trooper. Last night was a little bit of a rough night for me and my little guy. Being up in the night with Levon is definitely not the norm for us. He usual sleeps 14 to 16 hours a night with no disturbances. He ran a low grade fever most of the night and is currently fussing ready to start the day with his runny nose. Hopefully tonight will be better. Wonder how many little green goobers i will find scattered in my house after the day is done:) time will tell. Time to go get my poor little baby.

Cloth diaper must haves!

1) cloth wipes

2) a recommended detergent for your diapers (i love country save)

3) breathable containers for diaper storage (i use baskets)

4) 24-36 diapers

5) diaper pail

6) 2 Pail liners(made with PUL)

7) Large PUL wet bag for travel (PUL is a waterproof material that lines the bag to keep in odor and moisture)

8) travel wipes case made with PUL

9) Diaper doubler's for overnight protection (at least 6)

10) DIAPERS of course

These are the bare necessities to get you started. I will blog later about choosing the right diaper for your baby. :) I have a picture in the top right corner of Levon in his swim diaper . . . . what a cutie!!!!

Baby food making products

A list of things you'll need to get started making your own baby food:

1) Food processor (I bought mine at Mother Nurture Their merchandise part of their site is down at the moment but you can call and order it. cottonbabies.com is a good place to buy it as well.)

2) Food storage cubes or containers (BPA free)

3) Access to organic produce, Our Kroger in Winchester, Ky has a great selection.

4) Super Baby Food book (click the book in the sidebar and it will take you to the books website so you can purchase it.)

Hope this has been helpful! Let me know if you have any questions. :)

Making baby food

I love making baby food for Levon, on most days:) It is a super easy way to save tons of money. The first real food I introduced to Levon was an avocado. He absolutely loves avocados, even to this day. How easy is it to spoon out the yummy insides, plop it into a bowl and smash it with a fork? Very easy! Bananas are a big favorite of Levon's too, so every now and then I will sneak a half of an avocado in the bananas and he goes crazy over it. I read the "Super Baby Food" book ALOT when I first started making Levon's baby food. The driving force for me making baby food was the fact that I control what goes into my sons body. These days there are so many chemicals in so many foods I wanted to make sure that Levon got a minimal amount of it. He is a year old now and his favorite homemade foods are: organic yams, carrots, bananas, plain yogurt, and cheerios. Making baby food is pretty easy. Who wants to eat the jars of baby food anyway I mean have you tasted that stuff :) EWE

Cloth Diapering

When people hear that we use cloth diapers they always say something like " You are crazy". While using cloth diapers are not everyone's cup of tea it is not as hard as most people think. I wash a full load of diapers every 2 days. While there are a few extra steps to using cloth diapers, the money you will save by using them is well worth it. Most parents go through about 6 to 8 thousand diapers per child from birth to about age three. Taking into account how much disposables cost on average, parents will spend between 2,000 and 3,000 dollars per baby. Cloth diapers cost anywhere from 3 to 8 hundred dollars for enough cloth diapers to last about 3 years. That saves you about 1200 dollars. Thats alot of money if you ask me. Feel free to ask me any questions about cloth diapering I will be happy to answer them.

CLICK HERE!!
bum genius diapers video

Christmas

When our son, Levon, was born we decided early on that we didn't want Christmas to be about him getting a truck load of gifts. We wanted Christmas to be more about him giving things to others. So, we made a rule that for every toy he gets he has to give one of his other toys away. Since Levon is only a year old this decision is left up to his daddy and me. For now we will be giving his old toys to kids who we think will enjoy them as much as he has. I hope this is a tradition we can keep doing, I think it's a good one.