Okay, for real…we need a name!

Yes the meeting is at my home tomorrow at 10:30am. Call me if you need an address 715-212-9861.

Throw your stroller in your car we might just walk of some of that bay weight and end up at the park…or Briqs (is that how you spell that?) ice cream.

See you all there.

So I have read this a few times, but thought you might enjoy it…

Barracuda
Known, too, as “Hoovers” or “Little Vacuums,” these babies grasp the areola when put to the breast and suck energetically for 10 to 20 minutes.

How to help them
Get a good latch. Barracudas seem simple to manage: They know what to do, and do it well. But with a voracious eater, “you have to make sure the latch is deep and comfortable,” says Laura Viehmann, M.D., an AAP member and a private practitioner in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. “Otherwise, your baby will damage the breast.” It should look like she’s biting into a triple-decker sandwich, with her head back, chin up, mouth wide open, and lips flared.
Don’t put up with pain. Mama Barracudas might think ouch! is part of the game because their babies don’t take the time to latch on correctly before a feeding frenzy. It’s not. “Even if the first grasp is painful, by the second or third suckle, you should be comfortable,” says Dr. Viehmann. If your toes are curling, the latch isn’t right, so remove your tot from the breast (don’t pull her straight off; slip your pinkie finger into the corner of her mouth to break the suction) and try again.

Excited
Ineffective
In a frenzied cycle, these tots grasp the nipple with their mouths, lose it, and then scream in frustration. They need to be calmed down several times during each feeding.

How to help them
Respond early. Head off frustration by offering your breast at the earliest sign that he’s ready for it. Some clues: arousal from sleep, rooting (searching with his mouth), flexing of arms and legs, bringing hand to mouth, or moving mouth or tongue. If he shows signs in his sleep, you can even try to nurse him while he’s dozing in an attempt to ward off hunger.
Make feeding the priority. If your baby wakes up hungry from a nap, don’t change his dirty diaper. Let him eat, and then tend to the poop.
Try soothing strategies. To keep your baby focused, nurse him in a rocking chair; the motion is calming. Breastfeeding in a warm bath, or in any scenario that allows skin-to-skin contact, may also be comforting, says Jane Crouse, a La Leche League spokesperson. “Anything that reminds him of life in utero will help: warmth, movement, sound, closeness.”

Procrastinator
These reluctant nursers can’t be bothered with breastfeeding during their first days — they wait for Mom’s milk to come in. Later, they may cry for the breast, then latch on for just a suck or two before quitting. They may seem like “easy” babies (they sleep a lot and cry less) but need more attention to make sure they eat enough.

How to help them
Offer food often. These sleepy tykes may not show hunger signs, so put her to the breast every other hour whether she’s interested or not, says Crouse: “She may not drink much, but she needs the opportunity and the practice.” You may even need to break the “never wake a sleeping baby” rule if your Procrastinator has gone more than four hours without a feeding (though talk to your doc about a longer sleeping stretch at night).
Don’t stress over quantity. It’s easy to worry about how much your unmotivated eater is getting, but newborns take in only one or two ounces at each feeding for the first week or so. Even if your session seems short, she may be getting all she needs.
Look to the poop. “A reliable sign of a well-breastfed baby is a bright-yellow, seedy bowel movement by day five,” says Jane Morton, M.D., a clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.
Track her growth. All newborns lose weight during their first three or four days of life, but they shouldn’t drop more than 10 percent of their birth weight — and should regain it by about day ten, notes Dr. Morton.

Gourmet
Gourmets, also known as Mouthers, like to play with the nipple and taste the milk before digging in. If hurried, they scream in protest, but once these gourmands find the milk to their liking, they settle down and nurse well.

How to help them
Don’t rush. Yes, nipple-fingering and mouthing make breastfeeding in public difficult to do discreetly, but it also stimulates your hormones and encourages milk production. So even if you want to say “Drink it already!” take a breath and let him do his thing.
Insist on a proper latch. When your baby finally starts sucking, you’ll be tempted not to disturb him even if his latch isn’t right. Make yourself do it anyway. (Check out the latch-on advice under “Barracudas.”)
Enjoy it. Grab a magazine or a book — or simply watch and giggle at this little nurser’s lip-smacking and tongue-wagging — and try to relax.

Rester
Also called Nipper-Nappers, these babes like to nurse for a few minutes, then rest, then resume. Some fall asleep on the breast, then wake an hour later ready for dessert. Their pattern can be confusing, but these babies cannot be hurried.

How to help them Gently wake her. Try undressing or unswaddling your baby so she’s less cozy and more alert. Or play with her feet to interest her in drinking and delay her dozing.
Ignore the “switch sides” rule. Since a Rester may drink for only a minute before breaking, you don’t have to switch breasts at every feeding, or after ten minutes, as many books suggest. When to move her over? Switch eight times a day until your milk supply is in, then follow your boobs. Give her whichever one feels fuller. The other breast will let you know when it wants its turn.
Lend a hand. “Use your hands to pump milk into your baby’s mouth whenever she slows down,” suggests Dr. Viehmann. Find a firm spot on the breast (often near the armpits); massage it in the direction of your nipple until you hear her swallow.
Go with it. Before the end of the first month, your Rester will be on a more predictable schedule, so for now pretend you’re on island time. “Forget about the laundry, cooking, returning calls or e-mails,” Dr. Viehmann recommends, “and change your mind-set to ‘this is the only thing I really need to do today.’ ” Lying around with your baby is the most important thing you can be doing right now, so go with the flow and feel good about it.

So What kind of eater is your baby?

by Patty Onderko 

In this months Baby Talk they covered a topic that I have personally been wondering about.  But let me back up just a bit.  I am probably too “pro-breastfeeding” for my own good.  I was convinced from a young age that I would breastfeed and it is one of the best parts of being a woman if you ask me…I can do something for my child that no one else can do for her.  But then I discovered how hard and painful it can be.  Yet through the tears, blood, rips, sores and frustrations came success of figuring it out.  So then when I hear people say, “I just didn’t have enough milk” I wonder what did they do in the days of pre-formula.  Well wet nurses of course!  I actually think that woman just knew that they could do it and probably had more support from other woman and figured it out, but in the case of malfunction they had wet nurses.  So why don’t we do that today.  Well, some people do!  And the wet nurse is coming back in fashion.

The article in Babytalkdiscuss moms coBreastfeeding….so you find another woman who might feed your child or you theirs.  Or you just share the pumped milk.

You can read the story here http://www.parenting.com/article/Baby/Feeding/Breastfeeding-Controversy-Milk-Sharing

The interesting thing is that my friend whose son is 11 days younger than my Lydia was just asking me if I would ever nurse her son if she had to stop for a short period of time (1 week) while on meds.  I had to think about that one. 

So what do you all think?

Oh, that someone is me.

It is true, breastfeed baby’s pooh, doesn’t really stink.  But man when you add in the “table food” it really stinks.  I forgot how much until the other day when I smelled a poopy diaper.  I told my husband that someone needs to change their kid, then I thought, hummm … Lydia…. is that you… *make nasty face here* and I picked up her butt and smelled.  yep, it was her. ick.  I am going to breastfeed her exclusively until she is potty trained!!!

So yesterday marked the first day of “older baby” group.  It was fun to see them crawling and playing with eachother.  It will be a joy to see them mark mile stones together.  But it was also sad to miss the wee ones and see all the first time moms at the start of their new life. 

Now We face the issue of this modern world of working moms.  When can we meet that works for most people.  We will continue to look at different times of day, but it will for sure be either on Tuesday or Thursday.  We will continue to plan times for hubbies to come, maybe we should start a dads group where they can get together!  As you have ideas/concerns and questions please continue to post them.  If you would like to be a contributing author on this blog let me know and I will give you writers rights.

Thanks.

-katrina

So those with older babies or who have gone back to work, we are gearing up to start a second group.  For this week we are meeting at my house at 10:30 on Tuesday Morning.  But I need you all to post what time would work for you to meet.  We would like to keep it to Tuesday or Thursday.

We invite any and all to come.  Email me or leave a comment if you need my address.  Thanks.

The discussion on when and what to feed your baby has popped up and here is what I have found through research and personal experience.

Some time between 4 and 6 months you can start baby cereal and fruits and veggies.  If you are breastfeeding they want you to start the rice cereal because it is full of iron, which the baby doesn’t get a lot from you.  When you make the cereal, make it with breast milk (or formula).  Start with just one feeding a day (night is good because it might help baby sleep longer at night). and first nurse for a little then feed baby the cereal.  If baby’s tongue just pushes the food out, it isn’t ready….wait a week and then try again.  Of course it will take practice to learn to eat so he/she will always push some out, but they shouldn’t just push it all out.  Also it is a new taste so baby will look discussed with it, but after a while they usally love the stuff.

When you introduce other foods only do one food at a time and for 3 – 5 days before introducting another (this way you can see if there is an allergic reaction to the food).  Never give baby honey, cow milk or peanut butter.

You don’t need gerber or premade food.  you can make your own very easily and save lots of money.  Check out the book “Supper baby Food” a great resource for all kinds of stuff.

My Maddy wouldn’t eat solids for the longest time (like 9 months) I nursed her exclusively for those 9 months and then continued nursing until 18 months.  Your body can provide everything you baby needs for at least 1 year, if you yourself stay healthy.  The longer you nurse the more weight you loose too!  However it is good to get baby learning to eat in that 4-6 month window.  The more foods they eat they say the less picky they will be later in life.  If they don’t like something now, try again in a month.

I think the biggest thing is to just wait until you and baby are ready.  Go at your pace, and stay educated about baby’s nutritional needs.

Well ladies we are on the road again for a weekend trip to the camp for the Salvation Army of Wi.  Brian and I are incharge of different aspects (Sunday’s church at camp) through out the weekend.  It is a bit stressfull, but the girls are excited and will have a good time.  Although I am not looking forward to the lack of sleep that will take place, I am looking forward to a good time.

When I get back I will try to post stuff on feeding baby (according to research and experience).

Have a great weekend.  Go out to all of the fun activities and party!!

ps… great to hear from you all.  See you Tuesday

check this bra out!

http://www.motherwear.com/prod.cfm/cid/50/sid/6196

Patented Hands-Free Pump Bra
from La Leche League Int’l
Soft cup patented hands-free pump bra has a basic drop cup opening for nursing with an added feature; a special layer for hands free pumping with a breast pump. Seamless cup and wireless comfort made of soft cotton/spandex for comfort and fit. Cotton/Spandex
White
34-40 B, C
34-42 D, E, F

*Each La Leche League bra comes with a free nursing bracelet to remind you which side you nursed from last! The bracelet is tucked between a small La Leche League tag that is attached to your bra!
Style#: 6196
Price: $35.00

So maybe I am a bit nuts, but I read a ton about the different methods and “theologies” on child rearing.  One particular issues is sleep.  Yes you think that once the kid starts sleeping through the night you are in the clear.  But NO, that is really not the case.  With different milestones the kids will have bumps in their ability to sleep through the night along with illness, transitions to toddler/big kid beds, potty training and even vacations/big events.  Just last night I had to pull out the books again for my toddler!

One thing that every author says is that we must teach our children how to self sooth (fall asleep on their own and when they wake during the night, re-fall asleep without your help).  This can be harder than you think!  there are many ideas and methods on how to do this.  From co-sleeping, to the cry it out, to shhh-ing and the list goes on.

Another thing that is surprising, but all the authors agreed on is that children need 10-12 hours of sleep at night and the earlier you put them down the longer they will sleep.  They suggested a 6-7pm bed time, which will produce a 6-7am wake-up time.  With two to three 1-2 hour naps during the day.

Some books I have read and recommend are:

“Healthy sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth“

On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving the gift of Nighttime Sleep by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam

“The sleepsense program” by Dana Obleman http://childsleepcenter.org/

What struggles do you have?  What is working for you?  Do you have any recommended reading?

Life before children meant easy trips to where ever the wallet let us go.  But two children later the story is much more complicated.

“Honey do you have diapers, breast pump, butt cream, dvd player for the car (and dvds), stroller, port-a-crip, michel the doll, hats, sunscreen, wipes, bibs, baby spoons, snack foods….”

How does it all fit in that mini-van anyway? Can anyone imagine life before stow and go?

But alas, we were off and going and the trip was perfect.

Naps didn’t happen without trips in the car around the block a few times.  The two year old ate McDonalds 3 times because she refused to try the much nicer Chicago food.  I only sported baby poop down my front for two city blocks and we had no, count them NO public tempertantrims. phew.

So what makes travel with little ones work?  Here is what I have learned over the last 2.5 years.

1. Make people change there life for you.

2. Be flexible

3. Know where there are parks and make that an incentive for good behavior

4. Don’t plan too much

5. Be flexible

6. Have people come to you!

7. Be flexible

8. Blame any “bad” behavior on the lack of naps

9. Be flexible

10. Take sunscreen everywhere and don’t worry about your child running naked in the fountain in the middle of down town chicago.  Hay she is having fun and that is what vacation is about!  Plus now I have pictures for the boyfriend!!

Ohh, did I mention, be flexible?

1 Summer trip down.  2 work trips to go (with the whole family) and one more vacation…we will be attempting camping with a toddler and infant, that should be an adventure.