After the baby is born you feel sleep deprived, scatter brained, and very forgetful.  I guess for some of us, this continues throughout their childhood.  The joke in my house, “Is it a cheese in the freezer kind of day?”.  I have been known to put food items in weird places.  An old friend used to say, “a few more brain cells are lost after each child so you can handle all the kids” (she had 5 by the age of 27).

Breastfeeding is one of those things that can feel like taking the SAT test all over again.  When was the last time the baby ate?  Is that why the baby is crying?  What side am I supposed to start on this time?  At 2am it’s even worse!  Imagine taking the SAT without any sleep the night before.  If you are pregnant with your first, please don’t be too scared.  Somehow you make it through.  Then, you think about having another one.

I found this product that is a DOH! moment.  It is so simple and yet so practical.  It is a nursing bracelet.  There is a detachable charm which you move to keep track of the time of feedings.  Also, if you are like me and can’t ever remember which side to start on, you can switch wrists to remind you.

Click on any picture.  It will take you to the different sites where you can purchase these smart beauties.

As women, we all want to look our best.  The foundation should always be our undergarments.  When are near the end of pregnancy and moving into breastfeeding, we have to find some nursing bras.  Can you please promise me you won’t guess and just buy one?  It really is important to have a well fitting bra, especially for this unique time.  If you don’t have good support, droopy boobs may be in your future after breastfeeding is finished, and I know all of us don’t have money to get that fixed.  Also, you will be holding a baby quite a bit and won’t have the free hands to keep adjusting your bra.  Shopping for new bras is much less painful than looking for a new bathing suit!

• You will want to be fitting near the end of your pregnancy.  You can go to any department store or lingerie shop.
• Just like any other clothing item, not all brands are equal.  What may fit well with one brand, may not with another brand.  In some cases, you may need to shop around and try on many.  If you have a favorite brand, start there and see if they have any nursing bras.
• You may even want to bring along the nursing pads you will be using to make sure it’s a fluid fit.
• There are different ways the bra opens, make sure you are comfortable with it.  Also, try doing it one handed before committing.  Many times you will have baby in one arm and only one hand free.
• If you do choose to purchase them online, make sure you have been fitted (don’t feel obligated to buy from that place!).  If the website doesn’t provide the measurements of their garments, don’t be afraid to ask.
• Lastly, you can be like this thrifty mama.  I find what I want, then go online and find it for cheaper (usually able to get a nicer brand and still save money).

A great site I have used for bra measurements is Her Room.  If you have questions about breastfeeding, here are a couple great sites to check out-Babycenter, Breastfeeding.com, What to Expect,  and perhaps the best known, Le Leche League.  If you can’t find the answer, most hospitals have a breastfeeding clinic you can call.

*Don’t ever feel like a failure or get discouraged!  The art of nursing takes time and practice.  Don’t ever be afraid to reach out for help!*

When it comes to breastfeeding, I’m a modest gal.  I never fed my kids in public.  I was always worried they would pull the blanket down and I would make those around me blush.  I would sit in the car, or plan my schedule around feeding times.  This time around, I am getting a nursing cover.  Pho for Five is having a giveaway for a nursing cover from Bebe au Lait.  I put in my comment for a chance to get one of these chic covers, have you?

When shopping for breastfeeding wear, I am usually pretty disappointed by the options. Why can’t there be pretty bras?  Womama has the cutest and sexiest nursing bras. They also carry the only organic birthing wrap in the world. It is incredible! You can wear it during pregnancy as a wrap, then wear it while giving birth. You can even wear it after as a nightie or a wrap after the baby is born. This would be such a great gift for the pregnant mama who isn’t all that excited about wearing the very chic hospital gowns.  I might have to get one for my next baby so i can be the chicest mama in the maternity ward.  Womama also has nursing singlets.  These are tank tops which unhook at the strap.  You can still be modestly covered while the baby is feeding.  No one has to see that post baby belly we are usually really concious of.  It is certainly for that mama who wants some ingenious, fun, and funky maternity/breastfeeding wear. Womama has so many really cool products, you really need to just go to their site and check it out!

Have you heard of male breastfeeding?  I came across an article and proceeded to do some more digging.  You learn something new everyday right?  Men have mammary glands which can be stimulated to produce milk.  After a little bit of time, he is able to produce a full milk supply.  Men can take Fenugreek which has been used to help women with a low milk supply and use a breast pump to stimulate the breasts.  There is even the beginnings of a clothing line for nursing fathers! I guess us mommies can even take a break from breastfeeding and our babies aren’t 100% dependent on us as we have thought.  What do you think about this??

A few resources to check out:

1. Male Lactation on Wikipedia
2. Strange but true: males can lactate; (Scientific American, 2007)
3. Father’s milk-male mammals’ potential for lactation (Discover Magazine, 1995)
4. Widower learns to breastfeed (2002 news article about a 38-year-old Sri Lankan father)
5. Milkmen: Fathers Who Breastfeed (UnassistedChildbirth.com) Along with the article is a movie.  The movie is a little weird, be forewarned:)
6. Why do men have nipples? (StraightDope.com)

Clothing for the breastfeeding Father. Click the picture for more.

This is yet another reason why prenatal care is so incredibly important.  Did you know “Breast-feeding remains a leading route of HIV transmission in the developing world”?  This is according to an article in Science Daily.  Most babies are infected by mothers who have no idea they have the virus.  In a six year study of more than 2,000 infants by three teams at The John Hopkins University along with teams in Ethiopia, India, and Uganda, showed that a drug can prevent HIV transmission to an uninfected baby through the infected mother’s breast milk.  Check out the article for the full scoop.

Another articletalks about vaccinating the infants with probiotic lactobacilli from the human mouth which can block HIV transmission via breastfeeding.  This study was conducted by the University of Illinois and presented at the 86th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research.  Check out this article too.  This sounds like a huge step in creating a vaccine for transmitting HIV through at least one avenue.

Isn’t science and what the brain can figure out amazing?

In my internet trolling i have found some pretty darn cute stuff that i must share!

Mama oh! Baby carries this great nursing cover that has some little extra surprises.  First and foremost you get to choose from many different fabric options and they are all machine washable!  The widest variety of choices i have ever seen for any breastfeeding mama.  The strap around the neck is fully adjustable.  Along with a side pocket perfect for keeping that always disappearing at the worst moment burp rag.  Last but most certainly not least, each nursing cover comes with a matching carrying bag perfect for also toting around an extra diaper or two and some wipes.

We all know how frustrating it can be with a teething baby.  Are you always searching for something to give them to chew on besides your finger?  You could be risking some serious pain if you offer your finger.  These necklaces are the neatest thing.  Go to Smart Mom and check out all the different colors.  Through the end of July a portion of sales from the Camo line will be donated to National Military Family Association’s Operation Purple.  Don’t forget to check out the Celebrity Photos to see the hip mamas who wear them.

What rock star mama doesn’t want to announce her new bundle of joy with a bang?  Go to Inventing Matilda and peruse the myriad of different designs.  Here is their description:  At Inventing Matilda, is our goal to be a little different..actually a lot different, than the mainstream pink and blue polka-dotted birth announcement and photo card crowd. Don’t tell anyone about our Quirky Chic Designs, your friends might think you are getting too stylish and start shunning you…Ok, maybe you can tell one friend.