I Could Wean? I Could Wean!! The End of Breastfeeding, and the Happy Dance I’m Not Supposed to Do.

May 3, 2013 by Melanie

When the time is right

Apr 26, 2013 by christaallard

Photo credit C.Allard

This is Nora. She’s nearly two. Nora still loves to nurse.

We don’t do it as often as we used to. As a busy toddler, sometimes she just can’t find the time. But she still absolutely needs a snuggle first thing in the morning, and usually looks for me when she’s tired or when she feels I’m not giving her my undivided attention.

I never imagined we’d still be here. I wasn’t sure I’d make it past our first week breastfeeding, let alone our first year; forget about year two – or beyond, as it now appears.

I’ve inaccurately predicted the end of our breastfeeding relationship several times against various benchmarks.

Like when I bought the economy sized prenatal vitamins and figured we’d have weaned by the time I finished it and wouldn’t have to buy another…that jumbo bottle came and went.  Read more...

When breast isn’t always best.

Feb 20, 2013 by Cora

A version of this post was originally published here.

This post is most likely going to infuriate a lot of people, but it will hopefully help a lot of people also. And so I go forward.  I realize this is a very touchy subject and people will have lots of reactions both good and bad.  Please share your experience in the comments, but please be kind.

When I told Honey that I got a gig writing a blog here he asked me what I would be writing about.  When I told him I could write about almost anything he asked, “Will you write about breastfeeding?”  I guess my answer is yes.

Let me be clear. I am not a formula feeding advocate. I’m not a breast-feeding advocate. I am a positive mothering experience advocate. Period. And for some women (myself included) breastfeeding is not a positive experience. For me, it was easily the most traumatic thing I’ve experienced in my adult life.  Read more...

I have purple nipples.

Jan 13, 2013 by Throwback

On the weekend’s we “throwback” to older but still awesome posts!

Post Written by Christa Allard – originally published September 2011

Breastfeeding is hands down one of the most challenging things I’ve ever had to do – not just as a mom, but in any aspect of my life.

We were plagued with challenges, literally from day one. I remember through my percocet-induced stupor struggling to wrangle ten – yes ten – pillows into some sort of workable configuration that offered Nora a good angle to nurse at while propped up in the hospital bed. When I thought maybe just one more pillow might do the trick, the nurses informed me that I already had every available spare pillow on the whole maternity floor. Still, the army of pillows wasn’t working and nursing Nora was incredibly painful. Confused and frustrated, we needed to supplement using one of those feeding-tube-thingies while nursing – talk about awkward, unnatural and a juggling act. We needed an army of women to try to make it work. As a private person when it comes to my body, I’ve come to terms that my sister, mother, mother in law, and five different lactation consultants have seen my boobs. That was never part of the plan.  Read more...

Tips for Storing Breastmilk

Oct 31, 2012 by Mary Grace

Hello to our readers out there! I hope all of you who had to endure Sandy are safe and healthy. Going through this historic weather event brought to mind the struggle I had last year during Tropical Storm Irene and the “Freaktober” Snowstorm with what to do with my frozen breast milk when we lost power. I ended up throwing away much of my “liquid gold” stash because I was not quite sure what to do with it. Yes, I cried (a lot) over my wasted milk!

Just before Sandy hit, I was very glad to see our friends at the Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition shared this wonderful list on the CT Working Mom’s Facebook page on what to do if you have stored breast milk or are an exclusively pumping mama who is back to work but without power at home. While I no longer have to worry about pumping, I remembered the anxiety and dread I felt last year and wanted to share this in case some of you missed it and are finding yourselves wondering what to do through this power outage or even in the future (God forbid we have to go through this again!). I have listed the important points below.  Read more...