Breastfeeding: Worried You Have A Low Supply?

Part 2
Causes of Low Supply graphic

Breastfeeding: Worried You Have A Low Supply?

Part 1:
Here is a graphic I can across that is a wonderful reminder so we don't get discouraged.

Mombo Nursing Pillow Review

This is my personal review of the Mombo Nursing Pillow

Brand: Comfort & Harmony (by Bright Starts)
Item: Mombo Nursing Pillow
Top Features: Two Sided (one soft, one firm) and removable vibration unit

Like most nursing pillows you can purchase the Mombo with slipcover or purchase the "nude" pillow and a slipcover separately. I like that as it lets each mom/care givers customize the pillow visually.
The "two sides" turned out to be one of my favorite features. The firm side is firm but not stiff so it allows baby to be fed on that side comfortably without the slouching that other nursing pillows can have. The soft side can also be used for feeding or for baby to lounge or get tummy time in with.
The Mombo has a flexible shape to fit many different shaped and sized moms/care givers. It being used wider doesn't affect it's ability to hold it's overall shape (it doesn't end up in a "v" leaving baby's legs and head without much support like a different brand that shall remain nameless).
The Mombo having one firm side and also being well built means it can be used very effectively to aid as back support for babies learning to sit up unassisted.
The vibration unit, although gentle, was hit or miss with the two little ones I've used this pillow with. One found ot soothing and drifted off into a content and calm state. The vibration scared the other. In fairness anything that vibrates seem to scare him including the vibration on a bouncy seat we have.
Cleanability: As we all know babies are messy and anything they come in contact with needs to be able to be cleaned. The slipcovers can be thrown in the wash with the rest of baby's clothes and mine has held up well to my washer's gentle cycle (what I use for all baby stuff). The pillow itself is recommended as spot clean only which to me leaves a little room for improvement but I suppose you can't win them all. Luckily, I've yet to come across a mess that requires anything more than a spot cleaning after the slipcover was removed.

Overall I rate the Mombo: 4.5/5
Price Range: varies some by store but is comparable to Boppy nursing pillows with the Mombo's slipcovers usually being slightly less expensive than those sold for the Boppy.

Where to buy:
http://www.kidsii.com/comfortandharmony/c-176-nursing-pillows.aspx?pagenum=1&PageSize=999 

(Pictures will be added as soon as full permission has been received.)

The Stigma of Being a SAHM

There is a extreme stigma when it comes to being a stay at home mother. Most working mothers and most men seem to think that the SAHM is like a constant vacation.
I hate to be the one to bust the bubble on this but it's NOT!
Yes, it's rewarding to care for your children but it's no picnic. You become their sole source of everything, at all hours of the day and night. That means you are on a 24/7/365 shift of being a nurse, chef, performer, maid, bather, dentist (I could go on until the internet was completely out of space) plus running all household errands, cooking and caring for your husband or significant other and cleaning the entire house usually by yourself all with no one to even say "you're doing a good job". Oh and did I mention the general lack of adult connection during all of this? Oh and heaven forbid that a SAHM need to take a break for anything, including her sanity (or even a restroom break). For thousands of years caring for an entire household in the above manners was multiple peoples jobs and caring for children was a job shared throughout the entire extended family of females or even across the entire village. Hence the term "it takes a village to raise a child".
In addition to being unappreciated for everything you do within the household and for your children, SAHMs then also have to deal with being looked down on by fellow mothers who are working. I've been on both sides of the coin. I was a fulltime working mother for five years and have also been a stay at home mother for about two years now. Both are difficult for different reasons, but society only scolds one of the choices.
I think mothers, all mothers, should support one another regardless of if they work in or out of the home, whether they formula feed or breastfeed, whether they use disposable or cloth diapers, regardless of choice to vaccinate or anything else that society says should separate us.
Before I forget, can I just ask why is it that when a woman is at home caring for the children, cooking meals, cleaning, etc. that it's expected and still "downtime" or a "vacation" but during those handful of hours a man may do the same things (or even just caring for his own children) he and the rest of society seem to think that he has somehow earned a reward? Is the job not the same regardless of who is the one doing it?
This is just some food for thought.

Best Place For Baby Registry?

Where is the best place to register for my baby shower?

(This will be short and simple)

Register everywhere you have available within a decent driving distance. Why within driving distance? Well, that's simple actually. Each store offers a unique bag of goodies for registering. Yep, that's right each store will offer you a goodie bag with samples and couples for registering but only if you register in store (or if you register online and then go to the front desk/customer service and tell them that you registered online and they are able to look it up. Be mindful when registering online as shower guests may not be able to have the registry pulled up in store. I have no idea why but it has been an issue I've dealt with multiple times when someone has registered online.) Once you've gone through and registered everywhere you'd like to then login to each registry and go through and figure out which one or two provide a combination of the best prices and products that you actually want or would use.Depending on your location and needs this is BuyBuyBaby, Babies R Us, Walmart, Target or one of those plus an online only store such as Amazon (which does not give away goodies but does offer a completion code for a percentage off any remaining items close to your due date).

Why is it important to get the free goodies and coupons?
Babies are expensive and each baby likes slightly difference things aka they are picky (ask any mom whose child uses a pacifier).

Baby Needs For The First 12 Weeks

Many people ask "what do I actually need for those first 12 weeks for my baby?" and you can find a variety of different answers but here is the bare minimum.
(not in any particular order)

1. A Place For Baby To Sleep
This can be a crib, playard, bassinet, cradle or you can cosleep. The decision of which works best for you and your little one is up to you but be sure to read weight and development limits so you know when to change or upgrade.
2. A Way To Get Baby Around
This is commonly known as a carseat. You can use either an infant or a convertible carseat. Again, that's up to you but be sure to check weight and height limits. It is also very important to ensure that your carseat is properly installed and that your child is properly restrained in the carseat.
3. A Way to Feed Baby
Breastfeeding or Bottlefeeding both have different items you'll need. So let's do a quick breakdown.
Breastfeeding: You'll likely at least want/need some form or nursing pads. They make disposable and reusable. All other breastfeeding needs will vary by individual and I'll write a separate post on them at a later time.
Bottlefeeding: Bottles of your preference with "slow flow" nipples. Either a breastpump if you will be feeding breastmilk in bottles or baby formula.
4. Diapers and Wipes
Cloth or disposable options are available for both the diapers and the wipes. If you are wanting to cloth diaper and have no experience in such plan on doing some research and investing in a sample pack or selection until you've figured out what works best for you. If you are wanting to use disposables I recommend buying the smallest package of whichever brand you decide until you know you like them. 5. Clothing
Depending on your little one you may need more size during the first twelve weeks. Likely you'll need at least two sizes but it's possible you could go through more than that. I recommend buying but keeping tags on baby clothes until you know how much your baby weighs and how tall (often referred to as long) your baby is at birth. Some babies can wear newborn sizes while others are born ready for the 0-3 month size.
6. Blankets
Babies enjoy being swaddled. It makes them feel safe.
If you are having a winter baby, you'll also want to invest in warmer blankets or sleepsacks.

That is it! Everything else is "nice to haves" and "wants".

Upcoming Reviews

Upcoming Reviews

Products on their way to be reviewed currently include:
Graco Pack 'n Play with Reversible Napper & Changer
Mombo Pillow with Mint to be Sweet Slipcover
plus many more to be come!