iBreastfeed

I breastfed my oldest son for 8 months. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. When he was two months old, I returned to work, full-time, and I pumped regularly, storing my breastmilk in the office refrigerator and traveling back and forth to work each day with my Medela breatpump.

At seven years old, he remains very healthy, hardly ever getting sick (I can’t remember the last time he even had a cough or runny nose) and I can’t help but wonder if this is due to the fact that I gave him the healthiest start as possible.

My new baby is just now two months old and he, too, is a breastfed baby. Even though I gave away every single baby and maternity item I had in my possession in between my two kids, the same Medela breastpump made its way back into my home after my sister used it when she breastfed her two boys. The fact that it’s lasted this long is a sign that it was worth every penny.

There are so many things that have changed in the last seven years, but after doing research on the evolution of breastfeeding products and companies that support breastfeeding families, I was pleased to see that Medela, a trusted name among breastfeeding moms and lactation consultants from all over the world, was still at the top of the list.

One of the new products that Medela offers is the Breastmilk Labeling & Storage System which slides easily into your freezer or refrigerator. I remember, with my first son, trying to stand up the milk bags along the freezer wall when they were still warm. Being sleep deprived didn’t help, since I would often forget to label the bags or place them in the right order (freshest first so it’s easier to grab and go). Medela’s new Breastmilk Labeling & Storage System helps to identify the freshest breastmilk to avoid waste. I recommend buying 2 (or adding 2 to your registry); one for the fridge and the second for your freezer.

The small, inexpensive system contains 1 storage tray, 2 labeling lids, and two 5 ounce BPA-free bottles. The storage tray works with Medela bottles or the Medela Pump & Save™ breastmilk storage bags. If you do use the bottle, you’ll want to take advantage of the labeling lids that twist-and-lock into place the day of the week and am, pm or mid-day so you know exactly when the milk was expressed. There’s also two sides to the container, with  “in” and “out” arrows to indicate which breastmilk bottle (or storage bag) is next in line to be used.

Another great service that Medela provides is its new smartphone app, iBreastfeed, an application that keeps a log of baby’s every movement. Whether it’s his sleep schedule you’re trying to keep track of, or his eating schedule, the app is a great way to monitor baby’s intake (and what comes out of him or her) each day. The app even allows you to track more than one baby so moms of multiples can use the app to keep track of their busy schedules.

Why do you breastfeed? You could win your very own Medela Breastmilk Labeling & Storage System by simply commenting on this post. Let us know why you choose to breastfeed OR how long you breastfed your children in order to be entered into this great giveaway.

iBreastfeed because it’s the best thing for my baby.

• Research shows that breastfed infants have fewer and shorter episodes of illness.
• Breastfeeding is the most natural and nutritious way to encourage your baby’s optimal development.
• Colostrum (the first milk) is a gentle, natural laxative that helps clear baby’s intestine, decreasing the chance for jaundice to occur.
• The superior nutrition provided by breastmilk benefits your baby’s IQ.
• Breastfeeding is a gentle way for newborns to transition to the world outside the womb.
• The skin-to-skin contact encouraged by breastfeeding offers babies greater emotional security and enhances bonding.
• The activity of sucking at the breast enhances development of baby’s oral muscles, facial bones, and aids in optimal dental development.
• Breastfeeding appears to reduce the risk of obesity and hypertension.
• Breastfeeding delays the onset of hereditary allergic disease, and lowers the risk of developing allergic disease.
• Breastfeeding helps the baby’s immune system mature, protecting the baby in the meantime from viral, bacteria, and parasitic infections.
• Breastfeeding increases the effectiveness of immunizations, increasing the protection against polio, tetanus, and diptheria vaccines.
• Breastfeeding protects against developing chronic diseases such as: celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and childhood cancers.

The benefits of breastfeeding appear to last even after the baby has been weaned.

iBreastfeed because of the benefits I receive.

• Developing a strong bond with baby.
• Helping the uterus return to pre-pregnancy size more quickly.
• Burning more calories.
• Producing relaxing hormones.
• Reducing the risk of developing pre-menopausal breast cancer.
• Reducing the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancers.
• Reducing the risk of developing Type-II diabetes.

iBreastfeed because of the impact it has on my entire family.

• Depending on the cost of formula and how much your baby needs each day, you could save nearly $200.00 in formula costs in just the first month.
• In one year, a family with one infant could save anywhere between $715.00 and $3,165.00 by feeding with breastmilk rather than buying formula.
• Breastfeeding also helps save on health care costs as breastfed infants typically need fewer health care visits, prescription and hospitalizations.

If you’re looking for support in your area, check out the Breastfeeding National Network for places to buy or rent Medela products. Be sure to follow Medela on Twitter or Facebook.Medela provided me with a storage system to review along with a second storage system to give away. Let us know the number one reason you chose for breastfeeding your baby OR how long you breastfeed your child to be entered to win.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

Day One

After taking advantage of California’s Paid Family Leave and one full month to bond with our baby (and to help me stay sane), my husband went back to work yesterday. Although I was anxious about how it would go, I had a great day.

The morning started off with a visit to the pediatrician and a trip to the grocery store. Home to eat and feed the baby before heading out, yet again, to get my brows waxed (long overdue) and to drop off two bags of maternity clothes to a friend and mom-to-be-blogger. Home once again to feed the baby before heading out to pick up my son from school.

The baby slept most of the morning during all of these trips in the car but once we were home with his big brother, he decided to stay awake. By the time we all went to bed for the night, I was done. Not much energy left to function at that point.

I woke up to the baby fidgeting and grunting – the first clue that he either needs his diaper changed or milk. This was around 2:30 am so we slipped out of the bedroom and I changed his diaper and fed him before returning us all to bed (Oh, and I might have watched an episode of The Cake Boss that was waiting for me on the DVR during this particular feeding).

Less than two hours later, I was awakened by the baby again and since my brain was no longer working, I did what came naturally to me. I picked up the baby and started our usual nighttime routine again – diaper change and feeding. Only this time, he spit up most of what he ate before I realized that he wasn’t hungry. He had only eaten  a few hours prior. Duh.

Lesson learned: Sometimes it’s ok to change the baby’s diaper and put him right back to bed.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

con Leche

Our baby boy was born on Christmas Eve morning. I hadn’t packed my hospital bag ahead of time so I wasn’t feeling quite as prepared as I had hoped when I went into labor.  Luckily, I had made a quick trip to Babies R Us earlier in the week so we did have everything we needed, or so I thought.

The morning after our baby was born, my husband went home to shower and to grab a quick bite to eat (the cafeteria food wasn’t cutting it for him). He showed up a few hours later with a small gift in hand. Even though it was Christmas Day, it still brought me to tears. This is certainly one Christmas I will never forget.

Inside the box was a watch, one that was on my wish list but that still came as a surprise. I haven’t worn a watch in years and even though I recall saying a few years back that the wrist watch would soon be obsolete (what with everyone carrying a phone which tells the correct time), I fell in love with the watches from con Leche that I had discovered during my pregnancy.

con Leche (Spanish for “with milk” or “milky”), makes stylish watches for breastfeeding moms. Underneath the standard dial that tells the current time is a second dial which shows the time of baby’s last feeding and is manually reset each time your breastfeed. You can also record which side baby nursed on at each feeding by manually setting “L” (left), or “R” (right). Ingenious.

When my first son was born and breastfeeding was new to both of us, I kept track of each feeding on a piece of paper but soon discovered that having that paper handy at each feeding was the most challenging part of the process.

Breastfeeding can be a struggle during the first few weeks but it does get easier. My new watch is a lifesaver and makes feeding the baby much less stressful since I simply glance down at my wrist to determine when, approximately, his next feeding will be.

I highly recommend adding a con Leche watch – with three unique designs – to your baby registry or for dads to purchase as a push present for their partner. I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas gift (besides our Christmas Eve baby).

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home