Breast & Bottle Feeding

Recently and for the fourth time in my life, I had a baby and returned to work. Sure, saying goodbye to my baby when I dropped her off to the sitter was difficult. Certainly getting back into the busy routine was challenging. Of course having to put on real clothes was an obstacle. But you know what was the worst part of it all? Having to to dust off and and reunite with the ol' bag pump. The nursing pump. The bane of working mothers the world over! The blight of dedicated mothers struggling with latching! The burden of moms of preemies! And simultaneously the salvation for all of these situations. Yes, it's a love / hate relationship with that...

My little guy and I are at our six-month breastfeeding mark. This is a goal I am really happy about hitting, especially considering I didn’t nurse my first son. I tried every trick in the book, but in the end he ended up being formula fed which is *okay. (*Yes, yes fed is best!) However, with my working knowledge on the cost of formula, I was determined to make it work. Here are some of my thoughts throughout this journey...  Month One Oh wow! This little baby latched immediately! We’re going to do this! ::one day later:: okay. We’re not going to do this. Why does this hurt so bad? Is this much lanolin healthy for the baby? I need something...

In just 20 days, my baby will be a big one year old. Oh, sure, I want him to stay little as long as possible, and be my baby, and “Time slow down!!!” and all that. BUT. But. I am ready to be done with the dreadful pump. I have no regrets about breastfeeding either of my children, and should we have more children, I will likely nurse them too. And that’s just it. Breastfeeding is one thing. The pump? Well, that’s another beast entirely. So, I am counting down the days until I’m done with this pumping business: 9 workdays left, with a few days of using freezer milk before his first birthday. I feel so giddy about my soon-to-be freedom...

Disclosure :: This post is sponsored by Red Stick Spice Company.  Drink up, Mom! Teas for Pregnancy and Beyond Tea is taking the beverage world by storm. Some of may think of tea as a proper afternoon break served with scones and crumpets. Others look forward to a big glass of iced sweet tea with their lunch. Tea is also seen as part of a wellness routine, a beverage that’s used as a tonic to ward off illness. Which approach to tea is correct? All of them! Tea is a big part of what we do at Red Stick Spice Company, and what we love most is that the learning never ends. Tea dates back thousands of years and is a part...

Note: This post is part our series in observance of World Breastfeeding Week and is sponsored by Woman’s Hospital.  Nursing While Pregnant My daughter was only 6 months old when I got pregnant again in October 2014. I was nursing her and pumping at work regularly without any inclination that anything would change other than a once again growing belly. While my milk supply was never abundant and there wasn’t much of a freezer stash, I was making enough for her daily bottles. By January, my supply had gradually dropped. I had researched and read that it is possible to nurse throughout a pregnancy and that sometimes only the taste may change, which could affect the baby's desire to continue. However, it is...