Breastfeeding despite the Naysayers

If you choose not to breastfeed, I’m not going to tell you you’re wrong.  I’m not about to go around and tell people how to live their lives.

With that said, I am a huge proponent of breastfeeding, and if there is somebody on the fence about it I’d love to share with them my experiences to encourage them to take the plunge and do it.

I’m still exclusively breastfeeding my baby.  He’s technically 6 months old, but since he was born early, his adjusted age is like 4 months old.  I spent 2 months pumping for him while he was in the NICU.  I had to grit my teeth and embrace the unpleasant pumping routine (8-10 times a day!) for the health of my baby.  I had to sit through many, many sessions of non-nutritive “practice” with my baby, with at least three nurses looking at my breasts flapping in the wind at any given moment.  I weathered the nipple shield experience and the process of weaning off of it.  Truth be told, despite the circumstances, I’ve had a glorious time breastfeeding my baby.  He was pretty much a natural, and I haven’t had any complications, other than him being premature and not able to nurse for at least a month.

I also haven’t had much criticism.  Even my friend who formula fed and gave the weakest attempt at nursing was fully supportive, even encouraging me to nurse in public when my baby was fighting the nursing cover.  My parents are fully supportive, and my husband is so supportive he doesn’t even want to think about me weaning the baby any time soon. 

But I know I am not in the majority on this one—many women have experienced obstacles in the form of the people around them.  And I’ve had a few tiny glimmers of the naysayers in my life too.

My sister.  She has declared it’s “gross” and “icks her out.”  Nevermind the fact that her nephew is completely healthy and chubby and loves his milk.  She leaves the room even when I have a cover on. 

My grandma.  She’s never officially voiced an opinion, but she has told me that my cousin’s girlfriend was told that “4 months is enough, anything after that is unnecessary.”  She watched me struggle to feed the baby with a cover on (he hates the cover), she said “see it’s easier just to give a bottle.”  Or how she said pumping was easier (hey, I’m pulling rank here.  I pumped for 53 days and it is NOT easier!!!).  I forgive my grandma, because she’s from the era of twilight births and formula. 

It’s hard to do something when you seem to be in the minority.  I find myself feeding the baby in the car before going into a restaurant or store simply because I don’t want the stress of worrying about other people judging us, or the stress of trying to keep the cover on.  And yet…it shouldn’t have to be this way.

A Few Words about Breasts and Breastfeeding and Cheap Insurance Companies

Insurance and Breast Pump

When my baby was born at 29 weeks 4 days, I immediately began using a hospital grade breast pump.  The hospital told me that most insurance would cover the hefty $79/month, which was reassuring in light of the fact that I was writing a check for it while other ladies in the office were receiving free pumps through WIC.  I rented the pump for two months while my son was in the NICU (for a total of 53 days) and used it 8-10 times a day.  Every day I would deliver milk to the NICU for my son, who received only my milk during his hospital stay.  Numerous studies show that breast milk is the best for a premature baby, whose digestive system is still developing and whose little body wouldn’t normally be given food at this point in their lives. 

Pumping is tedious.  It was bad enough that I had to leave the hospital without a baby, but to then face the reality of putting plastic shields on my breasts and turning into a dairy cow every 2-3 hours was not only unappealing, but uncomfortable too.  But I stuck with it for my son, and looking back I don’t know how I survived waking up in the middle of the night not to the sweet sounds of a baby, but to an electric pump that was waiting to suck the life out of my boobs. 

I spent so much time with that yellow pump that I was starting to feel like the dude in the movie Castaway with his ball…like the pump was my friend.  My trusty buddy that helped me through that awful time in my life. 

So, when my baby came home from the NICU and I no longer needed the hospital grade pump, I filled out a claims form and submitted my receipts to Blue Cross.  Months passed.  Four months later, my husband and I called Blue Cross’s claims manager (Pinnacle Claims) to find out what the deal is. 

“We didn’t receive any claims,” the lady on the phone told us.

Um, that’s impossible.  I distinctly remembered filling out the stupid form with my little peanut in my other arm, and then searching for several minutes for a stamp before putting it in the mailbox.  That claims form was filled out, damn it! 

“It’s not covered anyway,” the lady proceeded to tell me, as if I was a complete idiot for even assuming it was.  Seriously, how dare I think breast milk is a necessity for my baby! 

So let me get this straight Blue Cross.  I pumped like a mad dog 8-10 times a day just so my preemie son would get healthy and strong as soon as he could, thereby getting out of the hospital sooner and saving YOU money…and you don’t want to work with me here?  I mean, it’s a breast pump.  I had a doctor’s note.  It’s for the baby’s health…it’s not like it’s a freaking toy for my enjoyment!  Don’t you think you’d want to encourage more women (who can’t afford it) to pump milk for the preemies so they get the very best help in growing stronger and getting out of the (very expensive) hospital?

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Nipples

My next thoughts related to breasts takes me to my nipples.  I was in the shower the other day and realized hey, I’m standing here with no bra on and delicious warm water running across my body and my breasts feel totally normal.  Like…the way they used to feel pre-baby. 

I remember coming home from the hospital after having Butterball and standing in that very shower with boulders in my boobs feeling like my nipples were going to fall off if anything touched them.  I walked a little hunchbacked in the bathroom, and when it was time to dry off I cringed at the thought of wrapping a towel around my body. 

This, my dears, is the feeling that scares a lot of women off from breastfeeding.  I have a friend who said “I wanted to breastfeed but my nipples hurt too much.”

Hello…that is what we call “comes with the territory.”  But I just want to point out to any mamas who want to give breastfeeding a try that the nipple issues don’t last forever.  Mine are perfectly fine (at least until he gets teeth, and who knows what’s in store for me then!) and you won’t have to worry about weird nipple pain.

Luna Lullaby Bosom Baby Nursing Pillow

Luna Lullaby Bosom Baby Nursing Pillow – Giraffe

I have to confess…I’m not a Boppy fan.  I only use it to prop up the baby, and sometimes I use it to prop my own head up in bed watching a movie or something.  In other words, it doesn’t help me in the breastfeeding department.

The Luna Lullaby Bosom Baby Nursing Pillow is highly recommended and different than the Boppy.  It has a v-shape that makes it work as a nursing pillow or a great maternity pillow (you know, when you are big and pregnant and just can’t get comfy??). 

This nursing pillow comes in different prints and colors.  It can be used with twins too. 

From the Manufacturer:

Bosom Baby creates the perfect position for mothers to raise baby up to breast level. The unique v-shape also makes a cozy, comfortable maternity sleeping pillow. This is made up of luxurious, 100% soft cotton chenille covers and 100% polyester fiber pillow. This is removable and washable. This will nurture your baby in the lap of luxury. This helps to position the baby for breast feeding. This is a great maternity sleeping pillow. This is large enough for twins.

 

Breastfeeding: Understanding Supply and Demand & Latching

My husband’s friend and his wife just had their first baby, so my husband called to congratulate him and get the parenting scoop.  It was kind of funny overhearing the conversation from my husband, who was previously allergic to all things family-related. 

“So is your wife breastfeeding?”

And I’m thinking, how did he just ask that?  Are guys allowed to talk to each other about their wives’ boobs?  I know it’s normal for us ladies, but I haven’t ever heard my husband talk about that subject with his male friends before. 

“Yeah you gotta feed on demand,” I overhear my husband saying.  “It’s supply and demand.  The more the baby eats, the more milk she’ll make.”

I smile, wondering how my sweet husband evolved from Repulsed at Pregnant Bellies to dishing out breastfeeding advice.  Nevertheless, I’m proud that he’s been paying attention.

When he got off the phone, I was sad to hear what he had to report.

“She supplements with formula,” he said.  “She isn’t making enough milk.”

Now, I know there are people who out of necessity must supplement.  My cousin-in-law had thyroid cancer, and because of the effects of the treatment she took, she struggled with her milk production.  I understand that, and it’s wonderful that there are alternatives out there for people who need it.

But…we’re talking about a Stanford-educated woman who wants to exclusively breastfeed.  Both mother and father are teachers (like me and my husband), so in theory she should be good at finding information…but she’s just not practicing effective breastfeeding.  If you supplement, you are telling your body you don’t need it to make as much milk.  So you get stuck in a vicious cycle of not enough milk and supplementing. 

This is how milk production works.  Kellymom has fantastic information about virtually every single breastfeeding question you could imagine. 

So, my best advice to a new mom struggling with milk production is to 1) contact a lactation specialist if you can, or 2) contact a seasoned breastfeeding mom if you can, and/or 3) join an online breastfeeding community, and/or 4) visit www.kellymom.com for your breastfeeding concerns and questions.  In fact, I just had my husband e-mail his friend the link to Kellymom to show his wife. 

We had a bit of a challenge with breastfeeding purely in the logistical sense.  Our baby came early (a 29 weeks 4 days) and spent a long time in the NICU.  I had to work diligently to build up my milk supply.  In fact, I remember pumping after the delivery.  Alone in my room most of the time (my husband stayed with my stepson, who wasn’t allowed in the hospital since it was flu season), I pumped like a mad woman.  I must have pumped 8 times before I saw a drop of colostrum.  The only good thing about pumping is that I got to see how much milk I made, whereas feeding from the tap doesn’t allow for you to keep track of actual amounts.

But there was one thing I had already known from my anal research (okay, I admit, years before I even conceived), which was the necessity to feed frequently (or in my case, pump frequently) and efficiently (meaning, the baby has a good latch). 

Luckily, even though my little dude was a preemie, he always had a good latch.  There was one brief moment when he came home from the NICU when he wasn’t latching on deep enough on my right side, giving me a blister that bled a bit.  We just constantly worked on the latch.  After a week or so, he was latching perfectly.  Here’s a short video on how to properly latch-on your baby.

Pumping Advice: 10 Things to Know for Pumping Success

1. Know your legal rights as a working, pumping mama.  In California (and in many other states…also in the new federal health care legislation), your employer has to provide you with a private place and allow reasonable time for you to pump.  You do NOT have to pump in a gross bathroom. 

I know some people have a difficult time with this, even if they are protected by the law.  For example, I have a friend who teaches at a charter school in Los Angeles.  Her boss, a middle-aged single woman who never had children of her own, is completely unsympathetic to her pumping needs and does not give her the breaks or place to pump.  My friend could fight it, but she is not protected by a union, and she knows that her boss could easily replace her with any one of the thousands of unemployed teachers in California.  So, my friend doesn’t even pump (no time to set it up)…she manually expresses milk over the toilet. 

What’s the answer?  I don’t know.  She needs her job, and there aren’t other positions open these days in a crappy economy.  If I were her, I’d document everything related to her pumping issues.  I’d probably also print a copy of the law and ask the principal to have a meeting, where we would talk about it and I’d be as nice as possible.  But…I’m not my friend, so this is something that must be tackled on an individual basis.  My hope is that someday it will be ASSUMED that you want to pump, and every ounce of effort would be made to accommodate a pumping mama. 

2.  Relax and think about your little one when you pump.  It may help to keep pictures of your baby to look at.  Sometimes moms have difficulty getting a let-down.  Bring pictures of your little one, or even better, if you have a bit of time watch a video clip of your baby.  I used to do this when my little guy was in the NICU. 

3.   Drink Mother’s Milk Tea to boost supply.  Bring a thermos full of hot water and keep a mug and Mother’s Milk at your work to save the transportation hassle.  Mother’s Milk contains fenugreek, which helps promote lactation.  Since pumping isn’t as efficient at emptying the breasts as a baby, your supply may take a hit.  Or it may not…it’s totally an individual matter.

4.  Store milk in per feeding portions.  This means each container should only have 1-3 oz each.  This is to prevent wasting milk.  Check out Kellymom’s guidelines on storing breastmilk (http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkstorage.html).  Make sure you label each container with the date that you pumped.  I used those address labels and cut each one in half.  Nice and simple. 

5.  If your baby is at least 6 months old and meeting developmental milestones that indicate readiness, have your child care provider feed your baby their solids so you can pump at work but focus on breastfeeding at home.  This is what I plan to do when I go back to work at the end of August/September.   I’m incredibly anxious at the prospect of “losing” my breastfeeding relationship with my baby.  So, the idea of having the nanny feed him his solids and a bit of expessed breast milk is very ideal for me.  I will only be gone from 7:20ish- 2ish, so I plan to immediately breastfeed when I pick him up. 

6.  Invest in a hands-free bra.  These are lifesavers.  My son was in the NICU for 53 days, and I had to pump 8-10 times a day!  How boring…right?  Put on a hands-free bra and you can go on the computer, watch TV, write, read…whatever!  This is great for working mamas.  You can still work and pump at the same time, which may be a great selling feature for getting your boss to be more supportive of your pumping needs. 

PumpEase & Pump Ease Petite Hands Free Pumping Support for Nursing Mothers

PumpEase Hands Free Pumping Support for Nursing Mothers (PumpEase Medium, Galaxie Black)

• PumpEaseTM pumping supports enable you to pump HANDS-FREE!
• Made from an 88% polyester/12% spandex high-performance fabric that works with all pumps
• PumpEaseTM will hold your pump in place as securely for your 1000th pumping session as it did for your 1st
• PumpEaseTM Petite are our 3″ wide pumping supports that feature patent pending, ‘no-stitch’ horn openings, guaranteed to accommodate any breast pump on the market
• PumpEaseTM are our 6″ wide pumping supports that feature patent pending, ‘no-stitch’ horn openings, guaranteed to accommodate any breast pump on the market

These hands-free bras also come in other adorable designs, adding a bit of glamour to the art of pumping milk. 

7.  Invest in multiple sets of pumping parts so you don’t have to wash them at work.  I have about 3 sets.  If you have multiple sets, you can use them, put them in a bag, and then wash them at home.  Having to wash them at work is TEDIOUS and time-consuming.  You will love this system of just pumping, throwing parts in the bag, and washing at home. 

8.  Pump as much as you can when you are away from your baby.  This depends on your job, obviously.  But since pumping can lead to a decrease in your supply, you’ll want to do it as much as you can to stimulate milk production.  Some say you should pump in place of the times your baby would normally eat from you. 

9.  Invest in a cooler or insulated carrying bag with reusable blue ice to transport your milk.  I have different size ones from my NICU days, but any cooler or insulated bag will work with blue ice.  If you have a freezer to access at work, that’s great.  Otherwise you may want to look into buying one of those mini fridge/freezers, especially if you work long hours.

10.  If you want to estimate how much your baby will need to drink while you are gone, check out the Kellymom milk calculator .  For exclusively breastfed babies, the drink an estimated 25 oz/day.  Divide that amount by the number of times your baby eats in a day to figure out the amount per feeding.  This will be helpful information for planning your time away from your baby. 

Pumping is a great time commitment.  It can be tedious, draining, and downright a hassle at times.  But pumping is also amazing.  It is truly a gift to your child to give him/her your milk.  And you won’t regret it when you can go home and breastfeed your baby directly, knowing that you maintained your milk supply and a wonderful nursing relationship with your baby. 

I will have to go back to pumping in late August after being able to exclusively breastfeed my baby on-demand since the end of February.  However, I am no stranger to pumping.  I pumped while my baby was in the NICU for 53 days.  For a large chunk of that time, I pumped exclusively.  It was draining and half the time I felt like a full-time dairy cow attached to all the tubes and suction cups…but it was worth every bit of boredom, frustration, and discomfort. 

Here’s the pump I used:

Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump with Shoulder Bag

Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump with Shoulder Bag

• Daily use breast pump with electric, battery, or manual operation
• “Natural Expression two-stage system that simulates baby’s actual nursing patterns
• Double or single pumping
• Stylish black microfiber shoulder bag
• Adjustable suction/vacuum

I love that the Medela Pump in Style comes in this totally discreet bag.  It’s super convenient to carry around…lightweight too!  It actually comes with a small cooler bag that fits right into the handbag.  I shopped around toward the end of our NICU stay and was told this is among the best.  It really is! 

If you have any questions or need some morale support, please contact me!  We’re in this together!

Mother’s Milk A Lifesaver for Preemies

Check out this CBS article “Mother’s Milk A Lifesaver For Preemies?”

I pumped for Butterball 8-10 times a day while he was in the NICU.  I went to the hospital 2 times a day and breastfed him for 3 feedings a day.  It was tedious, but worth every second I spent strapped to my pump like a dairy cow. 

Benefits of Breastmilk :

(from the Nutritional Support of the Very Low Birth Weight Infant) 

•  Breastmilk empties from the stomach faster  and reduces intestinal permeability faster.
• The use of breastmilk results in less residuals and faster realization of full enteral feedings.
• Many factors in human milk may stimulate gastrointestinal growth, motility and maturation
• Enzymes in breastmilk help immature infants absorb and utilize nutrients more efficiently and may also improve absorption of nutrients when breastmilk and artificial milks are combined.
• Reaching full feedings faster with the use of human milk means fewer days of  IV’s, less side effects from TPN, less infections and infiltrations from IV’s, and less costly and fewer hospital days
• Breastmilk-fed infants have a reduced incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis.
• Breastmilk use leads to reduced episodes of bacteremia and sepsis.
• Breastmilk use is associated with fewer urinary tract infections
• VLBW infants fed human milk tend to have higher IQ scores
• VLBW infants receiving breastmilk have improved visual development and less retinopathy of prematurity
• Human milk has anti-oxidant properties that assist the preterm infant in coping with increased oxidative stress

And here is a link to Dr. Sears’ chart on preemie problems and how mom milk helps. 

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You may also be interested in Breastfeeding a Preemie

10 Pieces of Advice for Going to the Dentist Before, During, and After Pregnancy

1.   Go! 

Dental care while pregnant (and after) is very important.  In fact, gum disease can affect the health of your baby.  Studies suggest that it can even lead to preterm labor.  So, definitely make sure you keep up with your regular cleanings and check-ups. 

2.       Tell your dentist you are pregnant. 

This will allow the dentist to plan your care accordingly in terms of medication and whether or not x-rays are necessary. 

3.       Make an appointment before you get pregnant, if possible.

Definitely try to get anything major done before you get pregnant.  If you can get any fillings or other procedures out of the way, you will eliminate a lot of worry and problems during pregnancy, when you are not as able to undergo these procedures.

4.       Avoid  X-rays while pregnant. 

This is especially true for the first trimester.

5.       Go to dental cleanings and check-ups even if you are pregnant.

6.       Post-baby check-up and cleaning. 

For me, this was hard because I didn’t want to be separated from my newborn and I was busy in the throes of motherhood.  What I did was arrange for my husband to meet me there.  I fed the baby before the appointment and he took him for a walk while I got my teeth checked and cleaned.  Easy! 

 A lot of women experience tooth decay and gum inflammation during pregnancy, so you definitely want this taken care of. 

7.       Save all unnecessary dental procedures for after the pregnancy.

8.       Most dental procedures and medication are compatible with breastfeeding.  Always check with your doctor, though.  I was surprised to discover this…so don’t let breastfeeding dissuade you from taking care of your teeth. 

9.       If you must have a dental procedure done, go after the first trimester.  The first trimester is the most important in terms of development, and when your baby is most susceptible to the things you put into your body.

10.   Brush and floss regularly.  If you are having morning sickness and it is interfering with your brushing, try to find a bland toothpaste to use to avoid the gagging.   

Resources:

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/dental-care-pregnancy

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/dentalwork.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dental-health-during-pregnancy/MY00719

http://www.kellymom.com/health/illness/dentalwork.html

http://www.mother-2-mother.com/mh1.htm#Dental

Milkshirts – Undershirts for Breastfeeding Moms – Black

Milkshirts – Undershirts for Breastfeeding Moms – White (Medium)

I really love this concept.  I absolutely love breastfeeding, but the one gripe I have with it (granted, it’s a fixable gripe) is that clothing options are more challenging, especially when your funds are limited.  Most nursing attire look like leftover maternity clothes.  Who wants to wear maternity clothes when they’re pregnant…let alone when they are NOT pregnant.  Not me.  I like the idea of being able to wear my old clothes, which is what you can do with the Milkshirts.  They slip on under your usual clothes and make it easy for you to lift up your shirt and nurse.  At $19.99 each, they can really save you a lot of money in the long run while simultaneously saving you from frumpy land. 

High quality super-soft 100% cotton

Replaces the need for various nursing tops, blouses and dresses.

Provides full and complete tummy, back and side coverage during breastfeeding.

Available in 2 colors, black and white, and various sizes.

Made in the USA

Breastfeeding a Preemie

I’ve given a lot of advice in the last four months based on my experiences breastfeeding a premature baby.  My preemie was born at 29 weeks 4 days.  When they whisk your baby away to get attached to machines and tubes in a life or death situation, breastfeeding isn’t going to happen the traditional way– at least not right away.

I want to reassure any mommy of a preemie that breastfeeding can happen, and it should happen.  Research supports the fact that breast milk is the best for a premature baby.  In fact, your body will produce milk extra packed with nutrients made especially for a preemie. 

For me, I found that breastfeeding was really the main thing I could do for my baby while he was in the care of the hospital.  It was the one thing that nobody else could do but me.  It helped me stay focused on the goal–a healthy baby–and kept me connected to him as his mother.  The NICU experience can be incredibly isolating, but through the milk I delivered on a daily basis for my baby, I felt like his mother instead of a woman who had just gone through a traumatic birth.  I wasn’t left feeling sorry for myself and my empty womb, but instead I had a mission.  I was making milk.  I was doing something so powerful for my baby. 

So I want to share with you a few lessons I learned through this entire experience.  It wasn’t always easy, but looking back it wasn’t exactly hard either.  It was definitely tedious, but for my baby I’d move the planets 🙂

1.  Rent a hospital grade pump

Like I said before, having a baby in the NICU and separated from you immediately after birth means you aren’t going to be doing this the traditional way.  You’re going to have to pump.  Do not use a cheapy pump from Wal Mart or try some other thrifty way.  You’re going to have to bite the bullet and rent a hospital grade pump (I used the Medela Symphony).  These are the best for milk production, especially for a mom of a preemie.  I paid about $70/month, but a lot of insurance companies will pay for them (I’m still waiting for my reimbursement).  Ask your lactation nurse or the doctor on staff to write a letter that you can give to your insurance company.  If you are on assistance, most of the times they will cover the pump rental too. 

2.  Pump, pump, pump

You are going to have to pump 8-10 times a day.  If your milk production runs low, you may have to insert hourly pumps to get it going.  You need to pump in the middle of the night too.  You’re going to have to pretend that the pump is your baby waking you up…you can’t ignore it!! 

3.  Do as much kangaroo care that you can, and then pump immediately afterward

Whenever first possible (nag your doctors and nurses if they don’t offer), start kangaroo care.  This is the skin-to-skin technique where you put your naked baby against your bare chest.  It has a ton of benefits, but one of the big ones is that it stimulates your milk production.  As soon as you put your baby done, start pumping.  In fact, push to be able to pump at your baby’s bedside.  The touching, smell of your baby, and sight of your baby will make your milk increase a ton.  It really works.  Once I thought I’d drive home after kangaroo care and pump right away…bad move.  I noticed a dramatic decrease in milk. 

4.  Fenugreek to increase supply

I drank Mother’s Milk several times a day.  Other people take fenugreek capsules or consume other products.  Fenugreek is considered to be a galactagogue. 

5.  Put baby on breast ASAP

As soon as you can, put your baby to your breast.  When they are born as young as my son, they can really only hold a latch and maybe lick, but this is practice for them.  You’ll do a lot of non-nutritive feedings (where they baby isn’t getting enough milk to sustain them) to eventually graduating to nutritive feedings.  I put my son to my breast a signficant amount of times before the NICU tried to give him a bottle.  My goal was to get him used to the breast before the bottle nipple…and it worked.  He always preferred the breast over the bottle. 

6.  Be patient with your breasts and baby

If you’re having a breast or milk related issue, or maybe the baby isn’t latching, do not despair.  Everything will get fixed over time.  I learned that lesson big time.  There is no sense in fretting over everything.  Everything will work out, just keep a bit of determination. 

7.  Log your milk output

At one point I realized I might not be producing the ideal amount of milk.  This is what helped me get on track:  keep a log of every pump session.  Log how much each breast produces.  At the end of the day, tally up how many ounces you produced. 

8.  Seek help from lactation specialists

Our NICU had 3 wonderful lactation specialists on staff.  They were amazing.  Definitely seek them out and pick their brains.  They are there to help YOU. 

If you have any questions or need some support feel free to contact me.  You can do it!!!

Here are some resources:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/preemie/index.html

http://www.babycenter.com/0_breastfeeding-premature-babies_8480.bc

http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growing/preemies.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/019596_brst_milk_brstfeeding.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/premature-baby/fl00108

****You may also be interested in my post The Birth of My Preemie:  29 weeks 4 days.

Nursing Attire Intervention: 5-Step Program

Okay…enough is enough.  I am so tired of rotating my Target nursing tanks that are super comfy and practical but totally lacking the cute factor.  I am so TIRED of being frumpy.  I always said I wasn’t going to be that mom.  I wasn’t going to get eaten by the frumpy monster, who spits out once-cute-women and turns them into unrecognizable beings that no longer care about looking good.

It is seriously time for an intervention. 

So, let’s review the problem. 

Here I am in all my frumpy glory.  Note the royal blue exercise shorts, milk-stained Target nursing tank, with a black sweater thrown over it to hide my hairy armpits.  The whole package looks shapeless and generally uninviting. 

Now, here’s the deal.  I still have some midsection fluff to lose from my pregnancy.  I have pretty much lost all the baby weight, but I’ve got some sag in the belly that I never had before that needs to GO.  My other situation is that I am nursing, so buying clothes that are not breastfeeding-friendly really isn’t in my cards right now.  And yet I’m facing maybe another 10+ monthes of nursing.  I don’t want to look like this for the rest of the year!  Finally, money is tight these days due to me being home with the baby.  I don’t exactly have the resources to drop on cute clothes and accessories. 

So…the plan.

The plan is simple (I think).  Here it goes:

#1:  Buy myself a Modest Middle.  Maybe even 2-3 of them. 

This seems to be an ingenius invention that could have only come from the brain of a nursing mother!  The beauty of the Modest Middle invention is that you can wear your normal clothes while nursing.  Right now I won’t put on a t-shirt and nurse because I don’t want to expose my roly poly stomach.  I especially won’t expose my stomach in public.  If you have a Modest Middle on, you don’t need to worry about it.  They can also be worn with a regular nursing bra, which means you can have more support than you would get wearing a tank.  I really think having a few of these will end up saving me money and allow me to retain a bit more style. 

#2:  Force myself to look cute. 

Let’s face it…when you have a newborn that spits up, poops, cries, and doesn’t sleep at night, getting out of your pajamas in the morning just doesn’t make the priority list…until now.  If I don’t make getting dressed a priority, I might as well throw in the towel right now.  My new goal for myself is to get dressed and put on make-up before I eat breakfast.  I will allow myself to use at least ten minutes of time in the morning while the baby is sleeping or in the swing to take care of me. 

#3:  Figure out the pants situation.

Part of the reason I love my pajamas and exercise shorts so much right now is because of the elastic band at the waist.  Because of the baby weight, my old pants just don’t feel comfy.  That, and I swear my hips have expanded, making it impossible to wiggle my way into my cute skinny pants.  Here are my options:

–  skirts are great.  I like the way they feel and they are very feminine, having the ability to make me feel cute.  The only drawback is that it requires me to shave my legs.  Yeah…when I make it into the shower once a week, I realllllly can’t guarantee that the legs will be smoothe. 

–  buy more pants.  I seriously feel like burning the comfy pants I wore while pregnant, the ones I continue to wear.  My husband has even commented on their frumpiness.  I keep saying that I don’t want to spend money buying pants that I hopefully won’t fit into if I lose weight, but what other options do I have?  So, I think at least one pair of pants is in the cards. 

–  wear dresses.  I’d have the same problem as the skirts with shaving legs, but this is another option.  Even better if I can find a dress that has easy access to my breasts. 

–  go to vintage stores/thrift stores and start picking up second-hand clothing.  It will be cheap and “new” to me. 

#4:  Use my accessories.

Just because I don’t have any money, it doesn’t mean I can’t accessorize.  Once upon a time I used to accessorize, and these bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, and more are still around…somewhere.  It’s time to dig them out and wear them.  At the very least some big red earrings might distract somebody’s attention away from the throw up stain on my shirt.  I can hope, right???!!!

#5:  Do my hair. 

I realized that you could totally pull off wearing sweatpants if you at least have a cute hair style.  This is my goal.  No more ponytails every day.  Time for change.

I will keep everyone posted on my progress.  Crossing my fingers that I can lock away this frumpy monster…forever!